How can i visualize the 3d geometry of shock fronts from x-ray maps?

[MasonRJ]

I was looking at some recent Chandra data on galaxy cluster collisions, and I keep hitting a wall trying to visualize the actual geometry of the shock fronts in 3D space from these 2D X-ray maps. How do you all mentally map the inferred depth and structure of these massive features?

[CharlesM]

i spend a lot of time imagining the cluster as a moving body and the fronts as curved surfaces seen in projection the depth comes from how the edge sharpness changes with radius and from the surrounding temperature profile

[Jonathan.M]

i tried a simple projection model and compared it to the maps but the constraints were weak and the fit felt flat so i parked the idea for a while

[James92]

could the real issue be that the visible front is not the main depth but a part of a bigger structure behind it so we are chasing the wrong feature?

[Frank28]

i once skimmed a simulation slice next to a real map and the brightness to temperature hint gave a rough tilt idea then i stopped when it got too messy to read