Intergalactic Gas in Groups of Galaxies: Implications for Dwarf
  Spheroidal Formation and The Missing Baryons Problem
  Radio galaxies with bent jets are predominantly located in groups and
clusters of galaxies. We use bent-double radio sources, under the assumption
that their jets are bent by ram-pressure, to probe intragroup medium (IGM) gas
densities in galaxy groups. This method provides a direct measurement of the
intergalactic gas density and allows us to probe IGM gas at large radii and in
systems whose IGM is too cool to be detected by the current generation of X-ray
telescopes. We find gas with densities of 10^(-3)-10^(-4) per cubic centimeter
at group radii from 15-700 kpc. A rough estimate of the total baryonic mass in
intergalactic gas is consistent with the missing baryons being located in the
IGM of galaxy groups. The neutral gas will be easily stripped from dwarf
galaxies with total masses of 10^6-10^7 solar masses in the groups studied
here. Indications are that IGM gas densities in less-massive systems like the
Local Group should be high enough to strip gas from dwarfs like Leo T and, in
combination with tides, produce dwarf spheroidals.
