The X-ray appearance of galaxy clusters - properties, discontinuities and anomalies of the intracluster medium distribution

The Intracluster medium (ICM) is the best archive to consult when we want to retrieve information about the past and recent history of galaxy clusters. All those processes that can affect the dynamical state of these systems, such as merger events, are indeed expected to leave traces in the ICM distribution, both in the form of variations of integrated quantities and local edges and discontinuities. The detailed analysis of the X-ray morphology of galaxy clusters and its link to the non-thermal components have been the main goal of this PhD Thesis. Most of the studies carried out to investigate this topic have been realised using the complete XMM-Newton observations of the 118 galaxy clusters that are part of the Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation (CHEX-MATE). These X-ray maps allowed us to inspect the ICM distribution of the CHEX-MATE systems looking for an answer to the question: How do galaxy clusters appear?