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On the thermal instability of galactic and cluster halosThe paper presents a detailed study of thermal instabilities in cooling flows associated with galaxies and clusters of galaxies. In the case of purely radiation-driven accretion onto a central object such as the cD galaxy M87, it is found that the gas is largely subject to overstability, rather than to monotonic instability. If thermal conductivity is taken into account, the flow is stabilized on scales of several kiloparsecs, even if the conductivity is appreciably reduced (e.g., about 1 percent) with respect to the Spitzer value. In no case are the globular perturbations (i.e., perturbations with comparable radial and azimuthal dimensions) found to be monotonically unstable. The paper presents numerical solutions of the local dispersion relation for the cooling flow in M87 and discusses the possible consequences of the results for a correct understanding of cooling flows.
Document ID
19870064830
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Malagoli, A.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Cambridge, MA, United States)
Rosner, R.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Cambridge, MA, United States)
Bodo, G.
(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
August 15, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 319
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
87A52104
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-85-06640
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS8-30751
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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