Temperature Structure of Four Merging Clusters Obtained with Chandra

We present preliminary Chandra results on z ≈ 0.2 clusters A665, A2163 and A2218, and a z = 0.05 cluster A754. For A754, A665 and A2163, we have derived first high-resolution projected gas temperature maps. All three show strong spatial temperature variations in the inner r < 0.5 − 1 h−1 50 Mpc regions, indicating ongoing mergers. The maps reveal a probable shock in front of a moving cluster core in A665, a rather complicated temperature distribution in the center of A2163, and possibly a merger of three subclusters in A754. At greater off-center distances, radial profiles for A2163 and A2218 show a temperature decline, in agreement with earlier ASCA results.