Direct Observation of the X-Ray Counterpart of the H <i>α</i> Filaments and of the Sloshing Spiral in the Perseus Galaxy Cluster

Abstract Deep Chandra observations of the Perseus galaxy cluster have allowed for the discovery of X-ray counterparts to the H α filamentary structures and of a sloshing spiral. However, both components are extremely faint, and their study is largely hindered by the volume-filling hot intracluster medium. Using the Poisson general morphological component analysis algorithm, a blind source separation method adapted for Poissonian statistics, we were able to extract detailed, clean morphological maps of these components. We then introduced a template fitting method to investigate their spectral characteristics. We report the first direct observation of ∼1.35 keV low-energy emission from the sloshing spiral, and produce the most detailed and unpolluted map of the X-ray filaments thus far obtained.