The axis ratio distribution of X-ray clusters observed by XMM-Newton

Abstract

We derive the axis ratio distribution of X-ray clusters using the XMM-Newton catalogue (Snowden et al. 2008). By fitting the contour lines of the X-ray image by ellipses, we confirm the X-ray distribution is well approximated by the elliptic distribution with a constant axis ratio and direction. We construct a simple model describing the axis ratio of the X-ray gas assuming the hydrostatic equilibrium embedded in the triaxial dark matter halo model proposed by Jing & Suto (2002) and the hydrostatic equilibrium. We find that the observed probability density function of the axis ratio is consistent with this model prediction.