Fe K-alpha Emission in the Bright Elliptical Galaxy NGC 1399

A precise measurement of the Fe Kalpha line emission in an elliptical galaxywill be possible for the first time with the EPIC pn on XMM. The equivalentwidth of the Fe K complex in the bright elliptical NGC 1399 will distinguishbetween rival spectral models for the temperature structure of the hot ISMinferred from previous analyses of the Fe L complex which predict very differentFe abundances in each case. The unprecedented accuracy of the Fe abundanceachieved with these data will provide the strongest constraint to date on thestar formation history of an elliptical galaxy. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]