Soft X-ray morphology of the Virgo, Coma, and Perseus clusters of galaxies

Soft X-ray emission profiles of the Virgo, Coma, and Perseus clusters of galaxies with 9.2-arcmin resolution are presented for the energy band from 0.5 to 3 keV. For Virgo, a profile is also given for the band from 0.1 to 0.28 keV. The profiles are compared with various models including extended and point sources, particularly a model with an extended source involving thermal bremsstrahlung from a hot gas located in the gravitational potential well of the cluster. It is found that the soft X-ray emission from Virgo is extended, symmetric, and centered on M87; that the emission from Coma is not dominated by any single galaxy; and that the emission from Perseus is centered within 3 arcmin of NGC 1275 and is narrower along a north-south axis than along the east-west axis containing the line of bright galaxies. Limits are set on the strength of possible point sources.