A new measurement of the baryonic fraction using the sparse NGC 3258 group of galaxies

New X-ray observations of the sparse NGC 3258 group of galaxies made by the ASCA satellite with good spectral and spatial resolution has revealed that this group has a gravitational potential deep enough to prohibit significant mass removal from the system. The baryonic fraction within 240 h(50)(-1) kpc is found to be 0.065(-0.020)(+0.051) for h(50) = 1, where h(50) = H-0/50 km s(-1) Mpc(-1), in good agreement with the universal value of 0.05 +/- 0.01 predicted by standard big bang nucleosynthesis for a universe with Omega(0) = 1 and h(50) = 1.

Since the deep potential of the NGC 3258 group ensures that all pristine intragroup gas has been retained, the baryonic fraction of the NGC 3258 group is indicative of the universal value. Consequently, it seems premature to rule out a critical universe.