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[87.02] Constraints on Ultraviolet Absorption in Rich Clusters of Galaxies

E. D. Miller, J. N. Bregman (U. Michigan), P. M. Knezek (JHU)

Three important phenomena can produce cool absorbing gas in rich clusters of galaxies: stripping of galactic gas by the hot ambient medium; infall of cool gas into the cluster; and the radiative cooling of the hot gas in the cluster core (cooling flows). Fortunately, each mechanism has a distinctive signature through its spatial distribution and metallicity. We present HST/FOS spectra of five QSOs projected behind both cooling flow and non-cooling flow clusters, with lines of sight ranging from the inner to outer parts of the cluster (0.2 \leq r_{\rm proj}/R_{\rm cluster} \leq 0.7). From non-detections of resonance absorption lines in the 2222--3277 Å\ range, we find 1-\sigma upper limits on the column density of N \leq 10¹²--10¹³\ cm^-2\ for \ion{Fe}{2}, \ion{Mg}{2}, and \ion{Mn}{2} in each cluster. We discuss the implications of these constraints on the various gas production scenarios.

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