Hot Gas and Halos in Elliptical Galaxies

William G. Mathews, Fabrizio Brighenti

Published 1997-11-10Version 1

We review recent progress in understanding the evolution of hot interstellar gas in the halos of elliptical galaxies. Non-homologous variations in the physical size of the hot gas account for the large variations of x-ray luminosity among ellipticals of similar L_B. By combining ROSAT and Einstein data we derive the distribution of total mass in NGC 4472. From 0.1r_e to 1r_e the total mass is identical to the expected stellar mass. Therefore stellar mass to light ratios can be determined from x-ray observations! Also the widely used ``mass dropout'' assumption must be incorrect in this important part of the cooling flow. Recent ROSAT observations indicate gas temperatures in excess of the virial stellar temperature, totally unlike standard cooling flow models. However, these new results can be understood if an additional massive component of ``circumgalactic'' gas is assumed to fill the outer galactic halos beyond most of the stars. This old hot gas, first heated during the epoch of galaxy formation, continues to flow into the stellar parts of ellipticals today, combining with gas expelled from evolving stars. This dual origin of hot interstellar gas further complicates recent discussions of abundances in the hot interstellar gas.