3C 254: MERLIN observations of a highly asymmetric quasar

Multifrequency, high-resolution radio observations of the quasar 3C 254 using the Multi-Element Radio-linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) are presented. The quasar has a highly asymmetric radio structure, with the eastern component of the double-lobed structure being much closer to the nucleus and significantly less polarized than the western one. However, the two lobes are more symmetric in their total flux densities. The observations show the detailed structure of the hotspots which are very different on opposite sides of the radio core, reveal no radio jet and suggest that the oppositely directed jets may be intrinsically asymmetric.     

A multifrequency study of possible relic lobes in giant radio sources

We present low-frequency observations with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope of three giant radio sources (GRSs: J0139+3957, J0200+4049 and J0807+7400) with relaxed diffuse lobes which show no hotspots and no evidence of jets. The largest of these three, J0200+4049, exhibits a depression in the centre of the western lobe, while J0139+3957 and J0807+7400 have been suggested earlier by Klein et al. and Lara et al., respectively, to be relic radio sources. We estimate the ages of the lobes. We also present Very Large Array observations of the core of J0807+7400, and determine the core radio spectra for all three sources. Although the radio cores suggest that the sources are currently active, we explore the possibility that the lobes in these sources are due to an earlier cycle of activity.     

The properties of powerful radio sources at 90 GHz

We have observed a small sample of powerful double radio sources (radio galaxies and quasars) at frequencies around 90 GHz with the Berkeley Illinois Maryland Association (BIMA) millimetre array, with the intention of constraining the resolved high-frequency spectra of radio galaxies. When combined with other sources we have previously observed and with data from the BIMA archive, these observations allow us for the first time to make general statements about the high-frequency behaviour of compact components of radio galaxies – cores, jets and hotspots. We find that cores in our sample remain flat-spectrum up to 90 GHz; jets in some of our targets are detected at 90 GHz for the first time in our new observations and hotspots are found to be almost universal, but show a wide range of spectral properties. Emission from the extended lobes of radio galaxies is detected in a few cases and shows rough consistency with the expectations from standard spectral ageing models, though our ability to probe this in detail is limited by the sensitivity of BIMA. We briefly discuss the prospects for radio galaxy astrophysics with Atacama Large Millimeter Array.     

PKS 1117+146: a new large compact symmetric object

We present 23-GHz MERLIN observations of the high-luminosity radio galaxy PKS 1117+146. The radio image obtained from these data shows, for the first time, a central weak component (designated C) that we identify as the core of the radio galaxy, and two outer components (designated N and S) which are the hotspots of the extended lobes observed at lower frequencies. Extended emission in components C and S is an indication of a possible jet connecting the core to the strongest component. The overall optical and radio properties of PKS 1117+146 are consistent with the source being classified as a compact symmetric object (CSO). We discuss this hypothesis, which would make PKS 1117+146 the largest CSO known so far.     

A radio and optical study of Molonglo radio sources

We present multi-wavelength radio observations with the Very Large Array, and narrow- and broad-band optical observations with the 2.5-m telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory, of a well-defined sample of high-luminosity Fanaroff–Riley class II radio galaxies and quasars, selected from the Molonglo Reference Catalogue 1-Jy sample. These observations were carried out as part of a programme to investigate the effects of orientation and environment on some of the observed properties of these sources. We examine the dependence of the Liu–Pooley relationship, which shows that radio lobes with flatter radio spectra are less depolarized, on size, identification and redshift, and show that it is significantly stronger for smaller sources, with the strength of the relationship being similar for both radio galaxies and quasars. In addition to Doppler effects, there appear to be intrinsic differences between the lobes on opposite sides. We discuss the asymmetry in brightness and location of the hotspots, and present estimates of the ages and velocities from matched-resolution observations in the L and C bands. Narrow- and broad-band optical images of some of these sources were made to study their environments and correlate with the symmetry parameters. An extended emission-line region is seen in a quasar, and in four of the objects possible companion galaxies are seen close to the radio axis.     

Radio jet interactions in the radio galaxy PKS 2152–699

We present radio observations of the radio galaxy PKS 2152–699 obtained with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The much higher resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of the new radio maps reveal the presence of a bright radio component about 10 arcsec north-east of the nucleus. This lies close to the highly ionized cloud previously studied in the optical and here shown in a broad-band red snapshot image with the HST PC 2. It suggests that PKS 2152–699 may be a jet/cloud interaction similar to 3C 277.3. This could cause the change in the position angle (of ∼ 20°) of the radio emission from the inner to the outer regions. On the large scale, the source has Fanaroff & Riley type II morphology although the presence of the two hotspots in the centres of the lobes is unusual. The northern lobe shows a particularly relaxed structure while the southern one has an edge-brightened, arc-like structure.     

FR II radio galaxies with z < 0.3 — I. Properties of jets, cores and hotspots

In previous papers we have discussed high-resolution observations of a large sample of powerful radio galaxies with z  < 0.3. Jets are detected in up to 80 per cent of the sample, and radio cores in nearly all the objects; in addition, we are able to resolve the hotspots in most sources. In this paper we present measurements of the radio properties of these components.   The prominences of the jets detected do not appear to be a function of radio luminosity, providing the clearest evidence yet that the reported low detection rate of jets in radio galaxies has been an artefact of low-sensitivity observations. We find a positive correlation between the total source length and core prominence in the narrow-line radio galaxies. We have found evidence for a relationship between hotspot size and total source size, but few other significant relationships between hotspot properties and those of the jets or lobes. We compare our measurements with those of Bridle et al., based on observations of a sample of quasars, and argue that the results are consistent with a modification of the unified model in which the broad-line radio galaxies are the low-luminosity counterparts of quasars, although the situation is complicated by contamination with low-excitation radio galaxies which appear to have radio properties different from the high-excitation objects. We discuss the classes of empirical model that can be fitted to the data set.     

On the hard X-ray spectra of radio-loud active galaxies

Over the last few years X-ray observations of broad-line radio galaxies (BLRGs) by ASCA , RXTE and BeppoSAX have shown that these objects seem to exhibit weaker X-ray reflection features (such as the iron K α line) than radio-quiet Seyferts. This has lead to speculation that the optically thick accretion disc in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) may be truncated to an optically thin flow in the inner regions of the source. Here, we propose that the weak reflection features are a result of reprocessing in an ionized accretion disc. This would alleviate the need for a change in accretion geometry in these sources. Calculations of reflection spectra from an ionized disc for situations expected in radio-loud AGN (high accretion rate, moderate-to-high black hole mass) predict weak reprocessing features. This idea was tested by fitting the ASCA spectrum of the bright BLRG 3C 120 with the constant density ionized disc models of Ross & Fabian. A good fit was found with an ionization parameter of   ξ ∼4000 erg cm s^-1  and the reflection fraction fixed at unity. If observations of BLRGs by XMM-Newton show evidence for ionized reflection then this would support the idea that a high accretion rate is likely required to launch powerful radio jets.     

Relativistic beaming effects in the spectra of cores and hotspots in radio galaxies and quasars

We present the results of multiwavelength observations of cores and hotspots, at L , C , X and U bands with the Very Large Array, of a matched sample of radio galaxies and quasars selected from the Molonglo Reference Catalogue . We use these observations to determine the spectra of cores and hotspots, and test the unified scheme for radio galaxies and quasars. Radio cores have been detected at all wavelengths in all of the quasars in our sample, whereas only ∼50 per cent of the galaxies have cores detected in at least one of the wavelengths . The degree of core prominence in this sample is consistent with the unified scheme for radio galaxies and quasars. A comparison of the distributions of the two-point spectral index of the cores in our sample of lobe-dominated quasars, with the distributions in a matched sample of core-dominated quasars, shows that the distributions for these two classes are significantly different, and this is consistent with the expectations of the unified scheme. The difference in the spectral indices of the two hotspots on opposite sides is also significantly larger for quasars than for radio galaxies, as is expected in the unified scheme. We also investigate the relationship between the spectral index of the hotspots and the redshift or luminosity for our sample of sources.     

Millimetre and submillimetre continuum observations of the core and hotspots of Cygnus A

We present millimetre photometry and submillimetre imaging of the central core and two hotspots in the radio lobes of the galaxy Cygnus A. For both hotspots and the central core, the synchrotron spectrum continues smoothly from the radio to a frequency of 677 GHz. The spectral index of the hotspots is constant over our frequency range, with a spectral index of α ≈ −1.0 ( S _ν ∝ ν^α), which is steeper than at lower frequencies and represents the emission from an aged population of electrons. The core is significantly flatter, with α = −0.6 ± 0.1, suggestive of an injected spectrum with no ageing, but some evidence for steepening exists at our highest observing frequency. Although IRAS data suggest the presence of dust in Cygnus A, our 450-μm data show no evidence of cold dust, therefore the dust component must have a temperature lying between 85 and 37 K, corresponding to dust masses of 1.4 × 10⁶ and 1.0 × 10⁸ M_⊙ respectively.     

Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope observations of NGC 3079

We present new observations at three frequencies (326, 615 and 1281 MHz) of the radio lobe spiral galaxy, NGC 3079, using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. These observations are consistent with previous data obtained at other telescopes and reveal the structure of the nuclear radio lobes in exquisite detail. In addition, new features are observed, some with H  i counterparts, showing broad-scale radio continuum emission and extensions. The galaxy is surrounded by a radio halo that is at least 4.8 kpc in height. Two giant radio extensions/loops are seen on either side of the galaxy out to ∼11 kpc from the major axis, only slightly offset from the direction of the smaller nuclear radio lobes. If these are associated with the nuclear outflow, then the galaxy has experienced episodic nuclear activity. Emission along the southern major axis suggests motion through a local intergalactic medium (not yet detected), and it may be that NGC 3079 is itself creating this local intergalactic gas via outflows. We also present maps of the minimum energy parameters for this galaxy, including cosmic ray energy density, electron diffusion length, magnetic field strength, particle lifetime and power.     

Spectral ageing analysis of the double–double radio galaxy J1453+3308

We present new radio observations at frequencies ranging from 240 to 4860 MHz of the well-known, double–double radio galaxy (DDRG), J1453+3308, using both the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and the Very Large Array (VLA). These observations enable us to determine the spectra of the inner and outer lobes over a large frequency range and demonstrate that while the spectrum of the outer lobes exhibits significant curvature, that of the inner lobes appears practically straight. The break frequency, and hence the inferred synchrotron age of the outer structure, determined from 16-arcsec strips transverse to the source axis, increases with distance from the heads of the lobes. The maximum spectral ages for the northern and southern lobes are ∼47 and 58 Myr, respectively. Because of the difference in the lengths of the lobes, these ages imply a mean separation velocity of the heads of the lobes from the emitting plasma of 0.036 c for both the northern and southern lobes. The synchrotron age of the inner double is about 2 Myr which implies an advance velocity of ∼0.1 c , but these values have large uncertainties because the spectrum is practically straight.     

Collimation of extragalactic radio jets in compact steep-spectrum and larger sources

We study the collimation of radio jets in the high-luminosity Fanaroff–Riley class II sources by examining the dependence of the sizes of hotspots and knots in the radio jets on the overall size of the objects for a sample of compact steep-spectrum (CSS) and larger-sized objects. The objects span a wide range in overall size from about 50 pc to nearly 1 Mpc. The mean size of the hotspots increases with the source size during the CSS phase, which is typically taken to be about 20 kpc, and the relationship flattens for the larger sources. The sizes of the knots in the compact as well as the larger sources are consistent with this trend. We discuss possible implications of these trends. We find that the hotspot closer to the nucleus or core component tends to be more compact for the most asymmetric objects where the ratio of separations of the hotspots from the nucleus r _d>2. These highly asymmetric sources are invariably CSS objects, and their location in the hotspot size ratio–separation ratio diagram is possibly the result of their evolution in an asymmetric environment. We also suggest that some sources, especially of lower luminosity, exhibit an asymmetry in the collimation of the oppositely directed radio jets.     

Radio galaxies with a 'double-double morphology'– I. Analysis of the radio properties and evidence for interrupted activity in active galactic nuclei

We present four Mpc-sized radio galaxies which consist of a pair of double-lobed radio sources, aligned along the same axis, and with a coinciding radio core. We call these peculiar radio sources 'double-double' radio galaxies (DDRGs) and propose a general definition of such sources: a 'double-double' radio galaxy consists of a pair of double radio sources with a common centre. Furthermore, the two lobes of the inner radio source must have a clearly extended, edge-brightened radio morphology. Adopting this definition, we find several other candidate DDRGs in the literature. We find that in all sources the smaller (inner) pair of radio lobes is less luminous than the larger (outer) pair, and that the ratio of 1.4-GHz flux density of these two pairs appears to be anticorrelated with the projected linear size of the inner source. Also, the outer radio structures are large, exceeding 700 kpc. We discuss possible formation scenarios of the DDRGs, and we conclude that an interruption of the jet-forming central activity is the most likely mechanism. For one of our sources (B 1834+620) we have been able observationally to constrain the length of time of the interruption to a few Myr. We discuss several scenarios for the cause of the interruption, and suggest multiple encounters between interacting galaxies as a possibility. Finally, we discuss whether such interruptions help the formation of extremely large radio sources.     

XMM–Newton observations of the hot-gas atmospheres of 3C 66B and 3C 449

We present new XMM–Newton observations of the hot-gas environments of two low-power twin-jet radio galaxies, 3C 66B and 3C 449, showing direct evidence for the interactions between X-ray-emitting gas and radio plasma that are thought to determine the large-scale radio structure of these sources. The temperatures that we measure for the two environments are significantly higher than those predicted by standard luminosity–temperature relations for clusters and groups. We show that luminosity–temperature relations for radio-quiet and radio-loud X-ray groups differ, in the sense that radio-source heating may operate in most groups containing radio galaxies. If the radio lobes are expanding subsonically, we find minimum ages of  3 × 10⁸ yr  for 3C 66B, and  5 × 10⁸ yr  for 3C 449, older than the values obtained from spectral ageing, which would give the radio source sufficient time to heat the groups to the observed temperatures for plausible values of the jet power. The external pressures in the atmospheres of both radio galaxies are an order of magnitude higher than equipartition estimates of their radio-lobe pressures, confirming that the radio lobes either are out of equipartition or require a pressure contribution from non-radiating particles. Constraints from the level of X-ray emission we measure from the radio lobes allow us to conclude that a departure from equipartition must be in the direction of magnetic domination, and that the most plausible candidates for a particle contribution to lobe pressure are relativistic protons, an additional population of low-energy electrons, or entrained and heated thermal material.     

An asymmetric relativistic model for classical double radio sources

There is substantial observational evidence against the symmetric relativistic model of FR II radio sources. An asymmetric relativistic model is proposed which takes account of both relativistic effects and intrinsic/environmental asymmetries to explain the structural asymmetries of their radio lobes. A key parameter of the model is the jet-side of the double sources, which is estimated for 80 per cent of the FR II sources in the 3CRR complete sample. Statistical analyses of the properties of these sources show that the asymmetric model is in agreement with a wide range of observational data, and that the relativistic and intrinsic asymmetry effects are of comparable importance. Intrinsic/environmental asymmetry effects are more important at high radio luminosities and small physical scales. The mean translational speed of the lobes is found to be     consistent with the speeds found from spectral ageing arguments. According to a Gaussian model, the standard deviation of the distribution of v _lobe is σ _{v l}=0.04 c . The results are in agreement with an orientation-based unification scheme in which the critical angle separating the radio galaxies from quasars is about 45°.     

Cygnus A

Cygnus A was the first hyper-active galaxy discovered, and it remains by far the closest of the ultra-luminous radio galaxies. As such, Cygnus A has played a fundamental role in the study of virtually all aspects of extreme activity in galaxies. We present a review of jet theory for powering the double-lobed radio emitting structures in powerful radio galaxies, followed by a review of observations of Cygnus A in the radio, optical, and X-ray relevant to testing various aspects of jet theory. Issues addressed include: jet structure from pc- to kpc-scales, jet stability, confinement, composition, and velocity, the double shock structure for the jet terminus and the origin of multiple radio hotspots, the nature of the filamentary structure in the radio lobes, and the hydrodynamic evolution of the radio lobes within a dense cluster atmosphere, including an analysis of pressure balance between the various gaseous components. Also discussed are relativistic particle acceleration and loss mechanisms in Cygnus A, as well as magnetic field strengths and geometries both within the radio source, and in the intracluster medium. We subsequently review the classification, cluster membership, and the emission components of the Cygnus A galaxy. The origin of the activity is discussed. Concentrating on the nuclear regions of the galaxy, we review the evidence for an obscured QSO, also given the constraints on the orientation of the radio source axis with respect to the sky plane. We present an overview of models of central engines in AGN and observations of Cygnus A which may be relevant to testing such models. We conclude with a brief section concerning the question of whether Cygnus A is representative of powerful high redshift radio galaxies. Received October 10, 1995     

Galactic disc dark matter, terrestrial impact cratering and the law of large numbers

We present ROSAT PSPC observations of the twin-jet radio galaxy 3C 449. The soft X-ray emission from this object is dominated by an extended halo with a scale comparable to that of the radio source. The asymmetry of the X-ray emission is reflected in that of the radio lobes, providing evidence that the behaviour of the jets is strongly influenced by the external medium. A region of reduced X-ray surface brightness coincident with the southern radio lobe of 3C 449 suggests that the radio source has displaced thermal plasma from the X-ray-emitting halo. However, the minimum pressure in the radio lobe is considerably lower than our estimates of the pressure in the external medium. We discuss the implications for the dynamics of the radio source.     

SZ effect from radio-galaxy lobes: astrophysical and cosmological relevance

We derive the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effect arising in radio-galaxy lobes that are filled with high-energy, non-thermal electrons. We provide here quantitative estimates for SZ effect expected from the radio-galaxy lobes by normalizing it to the inverse Compton light, observed in the X-ray band, as produced by the extrapolation to low energies of the radio emitting electron spectrum in these radio lobes. We compute the spectral and spatial characteristics of the SZ effect associated to the radio lobes of two distant radio galaxies (3C 294 and 3C 432) recently observed by Chandra , and we further discuss its detectability with the next generation microwave and submm experiments with arcsec and ∼μK sensitivity. We finally highlight the potential use of the SZ effect from radio-galaxy lobes in the astrophysical and cosmological context.     

Seyfert galaxies and the radio–far-infrared correlation

We have observed a sample of 149 Seyfert galaxies and radio-quiet quasars at 13 cm with both a 275-km radio interferometer and the 6-km compact array of the Australia Telescope. The high-resolution observations searched for the presence of compact, high-brightness-temperature radio emission from the active nucleus. The low-resolution observations measured the total radio emission from the galaxy disc and Seyfert core and lobes. From these we draw the following conclusions. (i) Seyfert galaxies that lack compact radio cores display a correlation between radio and far-infrared (FIR) emission similar to the correlation displayed by normal spirals, albeit with greater scatter. The correlation is found to be intrinsic and is not an artefact of the richness effect. (ii) A very different radio–FIR correlation is displayed by those Seyferts that harbour compact radio cores. These tend to be more radio-loud than either normal spirals or the Seyferts that lack compact cores. The compact core emission thus seems to be responsible for the generally poor radio–FIR correlation displayed by Seyfert galaxies. (iii) The radio–FIR correlation is not significantly improved by subtracting off the 0.1-arcsec (20- to 200-pc) compact radio emission from the total radio emission. This suggests that the emission from the active galactic nucleus has significant structure on scales larger than 0.1 arcsec. Perhaps these structures are the 'linear' radio features that have been seen previously in Seyfert nuclei.