Hot gas and magnetic fields as sensitive tracers of galactic interactions

We propose a study of the hot gas distribution in two galaxies suspected toundergo ram pressure effects: an apparantly isolated spiral NGC 4414 and a Virgo Cluster object NGC 4254. The proposed targets show only weak signs of external influences in the optical domain. However, their magnetic fields, tracing the diffuse ionized gas, show strong effects of external influences. We propose a study of the hot diffuse Xray emitting gas to build up a physical scenario oftheir interactions and to distinguish between basic interaction mechanisms:gravitational encounters and the ram pressure stripping. The second possibilityimplies that the ablation by the external gas may be important even in galaxiesthought to be isolated or those located in cluster outskirts. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]