2002ApJ...576..708S

The 40 ks Chandra ACIS-S observation of A1367 provides new insights into small-scale structures and point sources in this dynamically young cluster. Here we concentrate on small-scale extended structures. A ridgelike structure around the center (``the ridge'') is significant in the Chandra image. The ridge, with a projected length of ∼8' (or 300 h^–1_0.5kpc), is elongated from northwest to southeast, as is the X-ray surface brightness distribution on much larger scales (∼2 h^–1_0.5Mpc). The ridge is cooler than its western and southern surroundings, while the differences from its eastern and northern surroundings are small. We also searched for small-scale structures with sizes of about an arcminute. Nine extended features, with sizes from ∼0'.5 to 1'.5, were detected at significance levels above 4 σ. Five of the nine features are located in the ridge and form local crests. The nine extended features can be divided into two types. Those associated with galaxies (NGC 3860B, NGC 3860, and UGC 6697) are significantly cooler than their surroundings (0.3-0.9 keV vs. 3-4.5 keV). The masses of their host galaxies are sufficient to bind the extended gas. These extended features are probably related to thermal halos or galactic superwinds of their host galaxies. The existence of these relatively cold halos implies that galaxy coronae can survive in a cluster environment (e.g., Vikhlinin and coworkers in 2001). Features of the second type are not apparently associated with galaxies. Their temperatures may not be significantly different from those of their surroundings. This class of extended features may be related to the ridge. We consider several possibilities for the ridge and the second type of extended features. The merging scenario is preferred.