This thesis focuses on the X-ray spectral analysis of merging galaxy clusters and the plasma code development for future high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy observations. This work deepens in two... Show moreThis thesis focuses on the X-ray spectral analysis of merging galaxy clusters and the plasma code development for future high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy observations. This work deepens in two different aspects of these merging clusters still under debate: one, the study of the thermal (X-ray shocks) component and its correlation with the non-thermal (radio shocks/relics) component, and two, their metal enrichment history. The first one is crucial to understand how the shocks propagate and heat the ICM as well as to determine the physical association between these two components. The second one aims to contribute to a better knowledge of the metals origin, evolution and distribution in merging clusters, which can reveal important information on the dynamical history of the mergers. Show less
The use of background quasars provides a powerful tool to probe the cool gas in the circumgalactic medium of foreground galaxies. Here, we present new observations with SINFONI and X-Shooter of... Show moreThe use of background quasars provides a powerful tool to probe the cool gas in the circumgalactic medium of foreground galaxies. Here, we present new observations with SINFONI and X-Shooter of absorbing-galaxy candidates at z = 0.7-1. We report the detection with both instruments of the Hα emission line of one sub-damped Lyman α (sub-DLA) at zabs = 0.941 87 with log N(H I) = 19.38^{+0.10}_{-0.15} towards SDSS J002133.27+004300.9. We estimate the star formation rate: SFR = 3.6 ± 2.2 M⊙ yr-1 in that system. A detailed kinematic study indicates a dynamical mass Mdyn = 109.9±0.4 M⊙ and a halo mass Mhalo = 1011.9±0.5 M⊙. In addition, we report the [O II] detection with X-Shooter of another DLA at zabs = 0.7402 with log N(H I) = 20.4 ± 0.1 towards Q0052+0041 and an estimated SFR of 5.3 ± 0.7 M⊙ yr-1. Three other objects are detected in the continuum with X-Shooter but the nature and redshift of two of these objects are unconstrained due to the absence of emission lines, while the third object might be at the redshift of the quasar. We use the objects detected in our whole N(H I)-selected SINFONI survey to compute the metallicity difference between the galaxy and the absorbing gas, δ _{H I}(X), where a positive (negative) value indicates infall (outflow). We compare this quantity with the quasar line-of-sight alignment with the galaxy's major (minor) axis, another tracer of infall (outflow). We find that these quantities do not correlate as expected from simple assumptions. Additional observations are necessary to relate these two independent probes of gas flows around galaxies. Show less
