2-D Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Induced Plasma Dynamics in the
  Near-Core Region of a Galaxy Cluster
  We present results from numerical simulations of the cooling-core cluster
A2199 produced by the two-dimensional (2-D) resistive magnetohydrodynamics
(MHD) code MACH2. In our simulations we explore the effect of anisotropic
thermal conduction on the energy balance of the system. The results from
idealized cases in 2-D axisymmetric geometry underscore the importance of the
initial plasma density in ICM simulations, especially the near-core values
since the radiation cooling rate is proportional to ${n_e}^2$. Heat conduction
is found to be non-effective in preventing catastrophic cooling in this
cluster. In addition we performed 2-D planar MHD simulations starting from
initial conditions deliberately violating both thermal balance and hydrostatic
equilibrium in the ICM, to assess contributions of the convective terms in the
energy balance of the system against anisotropic thermal conduction. We find
that in this case work done by the pressure on the plasma can dominate the
early evolution of the internal energy over anisotropic thermal conduction in
the presence of subsonic flows, thereby reducing the impact of the magnetic
field. Deviations from hydrostatic equilibrium near the cluster core may be
associated with transient activity of a central active galactic nucleus and/or
remnant dynamical activity in the ICM and warrant further study in three
dimensions.
