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[13.09] The Iron K-beta/K-alpha Line Ratios as Observed in Clusters and in the Laboratory

A. E. Szymkowiak (GSFC), P. Beiersdorfer (LLNL), K. R. Boyce (GSFC), G. V. Brown (LLNL), K. C. Gendreau (GSFC), J. Gygax (GSFC), S. M. Kahn (Columbia), R. L. Kelley (GSFC), F. S. Porter (GSFC), C. K. Stahle (GSFC)

One persistent difficulty in fitting the x-ray spectra of several clusters of galaxies, is that the ratio of the Fe K-beta to the K-alpha complexes is greater than can be explained by simple models (Akimoto et al., 1997; Molendi et al., 1998). While various suggestions have been made to explain this discrepancy (including confusion with Ni K-alpha, and self-absorption of K-alpha in the sources), consensus has not been reached as to the explanation. We will discuss recent laboratory measurements of the Fe K-line complexes (see abstracts by Gendreau, Beiersdorfer, and Brown, and other co-authors at this meeting for descriptions of the measurement system) and their implications to the modeling of x-ray emission from astrophysical sources.

Work by the UC-LLNL was performed under the auspices of DOE under contract W-7405-ENG-48 and supported by NASA Space Astrophysics Research and Analysis grants to LLNL, GSFC, and Columbia University.