A panchromatic study of two pairs of galaxy clusters

Abstract

We have analysed the properties of two pairs of intermediate redshift clusters Abell 222/223 and Abell 1758 North/South, based on XMM-Newton data, deep multi-wavelength optical imaging with CFHT/ Megacam, and, for the second pair, numerical simulations. Temperature and metallicity maps of the X-ray gas show striking features, particularly in one of the members of each pair, implying ongoing mergers at least in Abell 223 and in Abell 1758 North. The comparison of the metallicity map of the latter cluster with the results of numerical simulations suggests that in the metal rich regions, winds have been more efficient in transporting metal enriched gas to the outskirts than ram pressure stripping. Optical galaxy luminosity functions (GLFs) tend to show dips and wiggles, as well as an excess of bright galaxies over a Schechter function fit, confirming the merging structure of each of these four clusters.