scholarly journals A radio ridge connecting two galaxy clusters in a filament of the cosmic web

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 364 (6444) ◽  
pp. 981-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Govoni ◽  
E. Orrù ◽  
A. Bonafede ◽  
M. Iacobelli ◽  
R. Paladino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Galaxy Clusters ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Volume Filling ◽  
Merging Process ◽  
Weak Shocks ◽  
Intracluster Gas ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Relativistic Particles

Galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationally bound structures in the Universe. They grow by accreting smaller structures in a merging process that produces shocks and turbulence in the intracluster gas. We observed a ridge of radio emission connecting the merging galaxy clusters Abell 0399 and Abell 0401 with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope network at 140 megahertz. This emission requires a population of relativistic electrons and a magnetic field located in a filament between the two galaxy clusters. We performed simulations to show that a volume-filling distribution of weak shocks may reaccelerate a preexisting population of relativistic particles, producing emission at radio wavelengths that illuminates the magnetic ridge.

scholarly journals Independent estimates of energies of steep-spectrum radio sources

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S304) ◽  
pp. 96-99
Author(s):  
Alla Miroshnichenko
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Frequency Spectra ◽  
Inverse Compton Scattering ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Relativistic Particles

AbstractWe examine properties of galaxies and quasars with steep low-frequency spectra from the UTR-2 catalogue. The number of the objects have the non-thermal X-ray emission due to the inverse Compton scattering of radio photons of the microwave background by relativistic electrons. So, it is possible to estimate the magnetic field strength and the ratio of energies of the magnetic field and relativistic particles, independently. As we have received the determined values of magnetic field strength are near to one order less than those at the well-known energy equipartition condition. We conclude from the obtained energy ratio that the energy of relativistic particles prevails over the energy of magnetic field in the galaxies and quasars with steep radio spectra.

scholarly journals Implications of the Low-frequency Turnover in the Spectrum of Radio Knot C in DG Tau

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
C.-I. Björnsson
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Radio Emission ◽  
Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Spectral Index ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Fermi Acceleration ◽  
Emission Volume ◽  
The Magnetic Field

Abstract The synchrotron spectrum of radio knot C in the protostellar object DG Tau has a low-frequency turnover. This is used to show that its magnetic field strength is likely to be at least 10 mG, which is roughly two orders of magnitude larger than previously estimated. The earlier, lower value is due to an overestimate of the emission volume together with an omission of the dependence of the minimum magnetic field on the synchrotron spectral index. Since the source is partially resolved, this implies a low volume-filling factor for the synchrotron emission. It is argued that the high pressure needed to account for the observations is due to shocks. In addition, cooling of the thermal gas is probably necessary in order to further enhance the magnetic field strength as well as the density of relativistic electrons. It is suggested that the observed spectral index implies that the energy of the radio-emitting electrons is below that needed to take part in first-order Fermi acceleration. Hence, the radio emission gives insights to the properties of its pre-acceleration phase. Attention is also drawn to the similarities between the properties of radio knot C and the shock-induced radio emission in supernovae.

COSMOLOGICAL SHOCK WAVES IN THE LARGE SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 386-390
Author(s):  
RENYI MA ◽  
DONGSU RYU ◽  
HYESUNG KANG
Keyword(s):  
Shock Waves ◽  
Galaxy Clusters ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Weak Shocks ◽  
The Universe

Based on the cosmological hydrodynamic simulation, we study the properties of shock waves formed during the formation of the large scale structure (LSS) of the universe, and investigate their contribution to the cosmic ray (CR) fraction in the intergalactic medium (IGM). It is found that while strong accretion shocks prevail at high redshift, weak internal shocks become dominant in the intracluster medium (ICM) as galaxy clusters form and virialize at low redshift, z < 1. The accumulated CR proton energy is likely to be less than 10 % of the thermal energy in the ICM, since weak shocks of M ≲ 3 are most abundant. This is consistent with the upper limit constrained by radio and gamma-ray observations of galaxy clusters. In the warm-hot medium (WHIM) inside filaments, CRs and gas could be almost in energy equipartition, since relatively stronger shocks of 5 ≲ M ≲ 10 are dominant there. We suggest that the non-thermal emissions from the CR electrons and protons accelerated by cosmological shock waves could provide a new way to detect the WHIM of the universe.

scholarly journals Low frequency observations of radio relics and halos

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S342) ◽  
pp. 37-43
Author(s):  
Ruta Kale
Keyword(s):  
Galaxy Clusters ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Extended Sources ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Statistical Studies

AbstractDiffuse radio emission from galaxy clusters in the form of radio halos and relics are tracers of the shocks and turbulence in the intra-cluster medium. The imprints of the physical processes that govern their origin and evolution can be found in their radio morphologies and spectra. The role of mildly relativistic population of electrons may be crucial for the acceleration mechanisms to work efficiently. Low frequency observations with telescopes that allow imaging of extended sources over a broad range of low frequencies (<2 GHz) offer the best tools to study these sources. I will review the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations in the past few years that have led to: i) statistical studies of large samples of galaxy clusters, ii) opening of the discovery space in low mass clusters and iii) tracing the spectra of seed relativistic electrons using the Upgraded GMRT.

scholarly journals Conditions of acceleration of solar electrons, and determination of the magnetic field in the high corona from the characteristics of a type-IV burst

1968 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 565-569
Author(s):  
A. Boischot ◽  
B. Clavelier
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Accurate Determination ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Radio Spectrum ◽  
Coronal Plasma ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Synchrotron Emission ◽  
Type Iv ◽  
The Magnetic Field

The study of a moving type-IV burst shows that acceleration of electrons can happen in the high corona, and a mechanism is proposed for such an acceleration. The low-frequency cut-off of radio spectrum is interpreted as due to the effect of the coronal plasma upon the synchrotron emission, and this leads to an accurate determination of the intensity of the magnetic field at an altitude of 1 R⊙. Then it is possible to compute the energy and the density of the relativistic electrons.

scholarly journals Revived fossil plasma sources in galaxy clusters

2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A4 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mandal ◽  
H. T. Intema ◽  
R. J. van Weeren ◽  
T. W. Shimwell ◽  
A. Botteon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Acceleration ◽  
Galaxy Clusters ◽  
Radiative Lifetime ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Radio Spectrum ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Plasma Sources ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Sky Survey

It is well established that particle acceleration by shocks and turbulence in the intra-cluster medium can produce cluster-scale synchrotron emitting sources. However, the detailed physics of these particle acceleration processes is still not well understood. One of the main open questions is the role of fossil relativistic electrons that have been deposited in the intracluster medium (ICM) by radio galaxies. These synchrotron-emitting electrons are very difficult to study as their radiative lifetime is only tens of Myr at gigahertz frequencies, and they are therefore a relatively unexplored population. Despite the typical steep radio spectrum due to synchrotron losses, these fossil electrons are barely visible even at radio frequencies well below the gigahertz level. However, when a pocket of fossil radio plasma is compressed, it boosts the visibility at sub-gigahertz frequencies, creating what are known as radio phoenices. This compression can be the result of bulk motion and shocks in the ICM due to merger activity. In this paper we demonstrate the discovery potential of low-frequency radio sky surveys to find and study revived fossil plasma sources in galaxy clusters. We used the 150 MHz TIFR GMRT Sky Survey and the 1.4 GHz NVSS sky survey to identify candidate radio phoenices. A subset of three candidates was studied in detail using deep multi-band radio observations (LOFAR and GMRT), X-ray obserations (Chandra or XMM-Newton), and archival optical observations. Two of the three sources are new discoveries. Using these observations, we identified common observational properties (radio morphology, ultra-steep spectrum, X-ray luminosity, dynamical state) that will enable us to identify this class of sources more easily, and will help us to understand the physical origin of these sources.

scholarly journals ON THE ROLE OF THE CURVATURE DRIFT INSTABILITY IN THE DYNAMICS OF ELECTRONS IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 1350081 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZAZA OSMANOV
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Rotational Energy ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Drift Instability ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Relativistic Particles

We study the influence of the centrifugally driven curvature drift instability (CDI) on the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the magnetospheres of active galactic nuclei (AGN). We generalize in our previous paper by considering relativistic particles with different initial phases. Considering the Euler continuity and induction equations, by taking into account the resonant conditions, we derive the growth rate of the CDI. We show that due to the centrifugal effects, the rotational energy is efficiently pumped directly into the drift modes, that leads to the generation of a toroidal component of the magnetic field. As a result, the magnetic field lines transform into such a configuration when particles do not experience any forces and since the instability is centrifugally driven, at this stage the CDI is suspended.

scholarly journals Characterizing the radio emission from the binary galaxy cluster merger Abell 2146

2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. A21 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. Hoang ◽  
T. W. Shimwell ◽  
R. J. van Weeren ◽  
H. J. A. Röttgering ◽  
A. Botteon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Acceleration ◽  
Radio Emission ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Galaxy Cluster ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Extended Source ◽  
Very Large Array ◽  
Radio Halo ◽  
Extended Radio ◽  
Relativistic Particles

Context. Collisions of galaxy clusters generate shocks and turbulence in the intra-cluster medium (ICM). The presence of relativistic particles and magnetic fields is inferred through the detection of extended synchrotron radio sources such as haloes and relics and implies that merger shocks and turbulence are capable of (re-)accelerating particles to relativistic energies. However, the precise relationship between merger shocks, turbulence, and extended radio emission is still unclear. Studies of the most simple binary cluster mergers are important to help understand the particle acceleration in the ICM. Aims. Our main aim is to study the properties of the extended radio emission and particle acceleration mechanism(s) associated with the generation of relativistic particles in the ICM. Methods. We measure the low-frequency radio emission from the merging galaxy cluster Abell 2146 with LOFAR at 144 MHz. We characterize the spectral properties of the radio emission by combining these data with data from archival Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at 238 MHz and 612 MHz and Very Large Array (VLA) at 1.5 GHz. Results. We observe extended radio emission at 144 MHz behind the NW and SE shocks. Across the NW extended source, the spectral index steepens from −1.06 ± 0.06 to −1.29 ± 0.09 in the direction of the cluster centre. This spectral behaviour suggests that a relic is associated with the NW upstream shock. The precise nature of the SE extended emission is unclear. It may be a radio halo bounded by a shock or a superposition of a relic and halo. At 144 MHz, we detect a faint emission that was not seen with high-frequency observations, implying a steep (α <  −1.3) spectrum nature of the bridge emission. Conclusions. Our results imply that the extended radio emission in Abell 2146 is probably associated with shocks and turbulence during cluster merger. The relativistic electrons in the NW and SE may originate from fossil plasma and thermal electrons, respectively.

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