XMM-Newton detection of warm/hot integalactic medium at z~0.01

Abstract

We report a ~3 sigma detection of a 21.82 A absorption feature in the direction of the BL Lac MRK 421 which is interpreted as OVII K(alpha) at z~0.01. This corresponds to the redshift of a H absorber in a cosmic void detected by HST along the line of sight of the same object. The 21.82 A line proves the existence of warm/hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) outside the Local Group, in agreement with current models of structure formation in the Universe. The WHIM at z~0.01 has temperature <~(2.5-4)E6 K for gas densities in the range 1E-6 - 1 atom/cm3. We also detect OVII, OVIII and NeIX absorption lines with zero velocity, possibly connected with WHIM in the Local Group.