Summary
This paper presents the first observational evidence of developing Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities along a merger cold front in galaxy cluster Abell 3667, using deep Chandra X-ray archival data. The azimuthally resolved analysis reveals multiple edges and surface brightness variations consistent with KHI development, with a characteristic length-scale of 20–80 kpc. These observations permit estimation of an upper limit for intracluster medium effective viscosity at approximately 5% of isotropic Spitzer-like viscosity, providing important constraints on the microphysical properties of weakly magnetized intergalactic plasma.
UK applicability
This is pure astrophysics research with no direct applicability to UK agricultural, soil health, or food systems policy and practice. It falls entirely outside Vitagri's Pulse Brain scope.
Key measures
Cold front interface radius fluctuations, surface brightness profile edges, azimuthal variations, Kelvin–Helmholtz instability roll length-scale (20–80 kpc), effective viscosity upper limit (μ ≲ 200 g cm−1 s−1)
Outcomes reported
The study used archival Chandra X-ray data to investigate the microphysical properties of intergalactic plasma by examining the cold front in Abell 3667. It measured azimuthal variations in the cold front interface and provided observational evidence for Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities, yielding constraints on the effective viscosity of the intracluster medium.
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