We use archival Chandra X-Ray Observatory data to investigate X-ray emission from early-type galaxies in the rich z = 0.06 cluster Abell 3128 .
By combining the X-ray count-rates from an input list of optically-selected galaxies , we obtain a statistical detection of X-ray flux , unbiased by X-ray selection limits .
Using 87 galaxies with reliable Chandra data , X-ray emission is detected for galaxies down to M _ { B } \approx - 19.0 , with only an upper limit determined for galaxies at M _ { B } \approx - 18.3 .
The ratio of X-ray to optical luminosities is consistent with recent determinations of the low-mass X-ray binary content of nearby elliptical galaxies .
Taken individually , in contrast , we detect significant ( 3 \sigma ) flux for only six galaxies .
Of these , one is a foreground galaxy , while two are optically-faint galaxies with X-ray hardness ratios characteristic of active galactic nuclei .
The remaining three detected galaxies are amongst the optically-brightest cluster members , and have softer X-ray spectra .
Their X-ray flux is higher than that expected from X-ray binaries , by a factor 2–10 ; the excess suggests these galaxies have retained their hot gaseous haloes .
The source with the highest L _ { X } / L _ { B } ratio is of unusual optical morphology with prominent sharp-edged shells .
Notwithstanding these few exceptions , the cluster population overall exhibits X-ray properties consistent with their emission being dominated by X-ray binaries .
We conclude that in rich cluster environments , interaction with the ambient intra-cluster medium acts to strip most galaxies of their hot halo gas .