The effect of mixing on metallicity gradients in the ICM

Abstract

It is generally argued that most clusters of galaxies host cooling flows in which radiative cooling in the centre causes a slow inflow. However, recent observations by Chandra and XMM conflict with the predicted cooling flow rates. It has been suggested that radio jets that are situated at the centre of clusters of galaxies can assist in reducing the deposition of cold gas. Radio jets inflate cavities of hot radio plasma that rise through the cluster atmosphere and thus stir the intra-cluster medium. In this letter it is investigated whether this scenario is consistent with the pronounced metallicity gradients that have been observed in the cores of clusters.