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R.A. Dupke, J.A. Irwin, J.N. Bregman (University of Michigan)
The distribution of elemental abundance ratios in the intracluster medium provides crucial information about the relative strength of different supernova Types in contaminating the ICM and about the nature of metal enrichment mechanisms. We present the results of an analysis of the radial distribution of SN Type dominance in the intracluster medium of hot (T>5keV) galaxy clusters. The combined ASCA-SAX spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy allows us to set stronger constraints on different metal enrichment mechanisms proposed to explain central iron abundance gradients, on the strength of resonant scattering of FeK\alpha photons in clusters and on competing theoretical SN Ia explosion mechanisms. We also compare the results to those obtained for cool clusters and groups of galaxies.