A radio study of neutral gas and dust in the radio galaxy 3C 293

We have observed broad H  i absorption in the radio galaxy 3C 293 using Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometric Network (MERLIN) at 0.2-arcsec angular resolution and the Giant Meterwavelength Radio Telescope (GMRT) at arcsec resolution. Extensive H  i is found in absorption across the centre of this peculiar radio galaxy, allowing a detailed study of the dynamics of the neutral gas on linear scales down to ∼160 pc. In optical depth position–velocity diagrams across the central few kpc we detect a distinct velocity gradient of 179 km s⁻¹ arcsec⁻¹ associated with the broad absorption. This is interpreted as a ring of neutral gas rotating around the suspected position of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) . The radius of this high velocity gradient ring is found to be >0.74 arcsec (600 pc), implying an upper limit upon the enclosed mass of     , assuming a near edge-on disc with an inclination of i . The optical depth of H  i is mapped across the entire central region of 3C 293 showing enhancements of a factor of 4 in the areas that are co-spatial with dust lanes seen in Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) imaging of this galaxy.     

X-ray spectroscopy of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 111

We present an ASCA observation of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 111. The X-ray spectrum is well described by a model consisting of a photoelectrically absorbed power-law form. The inferred absorbing column density is significantly greater than expected on the basis of 21-cm measurements of Galactic H  I . Whilst this may be the result of intrinsic absorption from a circumnuclear torus or highly warped accretion disc, inhomogeneities and molecular gas within the foreground giant molecular cloud may also be responsible for some of this excess absorption. We also claim a marginal detection of a broad iron Kα line which is well explained as being a fluorescent line originating from the central regions of a radiatively efficient accretion disc. This line appears weak in comparison to those found in (radio-quiet) Seyfert nuclei. We briefly discuss the implications of this fact.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy of powerful compact steep-spectrum radio sources

We have obtained near-infrared spectroscopy of a small sample of powerful compact steep-spectrum (CSS) radio sources mainly, but not exclusively, from the 3CR sample. We find no differences between the distributions in the equivalent width and luminosity of the [O  iii ]λ5007 line for our sample and other larger, presumably older, high-redshift 3C objects, suggesting that the underlying quasar luminosity remains roughly constant as quasars age. We also find a possible broad line in 3C 241, adding to recent evidence for broad lines in some radio galaxies.     

Extremely red galaxy counterparts to 7C radio sources

We present RIJHK imaging of seven radio galaxies from the 7C Redshift Survey (7CRS) which lack strong emission lines and we use these data to investigate their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) with models that constrain their redshifts. Six of these seven galaxies have extremely red colours ( R − K >5.5) and we find that almost all of them lie in the redshift range 1< z <2. We also present near-infrared spectroscopy of these galaxies which demonstrate that their SEDs are not dominated by emission lines, although tentative lines, consistent with H α at z =1.45 and z =1.61, are found in two objects. Although the red colours of the 7CRS galaxies can formally be explained by stellar populations that are either very old or young and heavily reddened, independent evidence favours the former hypothesis. At z ∼1.5 at least 1/4 of powerful radio jets are triggered in massive (> L *) galaxies, which formed the bulk of their stars several Gyr earlier, that is at epochs corresponding to redshifts z ≳5. If a similar fraction of all z ∼1.5 radio galaxies are old, then extrapolation of the radio luminosity function shows that, depending on the radio source lifetimes, between 10 and 100 per cent of the near-IR selected extremely red object (ERO) population undergo a radio outburst at epochs corresponding to 1< z <2. An ERO found serendipitously in the field of one of the 7CRS radio sources appears to be a radio-quiet analogue of the 7CRS EROs with an emission line likely to be [O  ii ] at z =1.20. The implication is that some of the most massive elliptical galaxies formed the bulk of their stars at z ≳5 and these objects probably undergo at least two periods of active galactic nucleus activity: one at high redshift during which the black hole forms and another one at an epoch corresponding to z ∼1.5.     

The environments of FRII radio sources

Using ROSAT observations, we estimate gas pressures in the X-ray-emitting medium surrounding 63 FRII radio galaxies and quasars. We compare these pressures with the internal pressures of the radio-emitting plasma estimated by assuming minimum energy or equipartition. In the majority of cases (including 12/13 sources with modelled, spatially resolved X-ray emission) radio sources appear to be underpressured with respect to the external medium, suggesting that simple minimum-energy arguments underestimate the internal energy density of the sources. We discuss possible departures from the minimum-energy condition and the consequences of our result for models of the dynamics of radio galaxies, in particular self-similar models .     

A radio-jet–galaxy interaction in 3C 441

Multiwavelength imaging and spectroscopy of the z =0.708 radio galaxy 3C 441 and a red aligned optical/infrared component are used to show that the most striking aspect of the radio–optical 'alignment effect' in this object is due to the interaction of the radio jet with a companion galaxy in the same group or cluster. The stellar population of the red aligned continuum component is predominantly old, but with a small post-starburst population superposed, and it is surrounded by a low-surface-brightness halo, possibly a face-on spiral disc. The [O iii ] 500.7/[O ii ] 372.7 emission-line ratio changes dramatically from one side of the component to the other, with the low-ionization material apparently having passed through the bow shock of the radio source and been compressed. A simple model for the interaction is used to explain the velocity shifts in the emission-line gas, and to predict that the ISM of the interacting galaxy is likely to escape once the radio source bow shock has passed through. We also discuss another, much fainter, aligned component, and the subarcsecond-scale alignment of the radio source host galaxy. Finally, we comment on the implications of our explanation of 3C 441 on theories for the alignment effect.     

The clustering of K∼20 galaxies in 17 radio galaxy fields

We investigate the angular correlation function, ο(θ), of the galaxies detected in the 2.1-μm K ' band in 17 fields (101.5 arcmin² in total), each containing a z ∼1.1 radio galaxy. There is a significant detection of galaxy clustering at a limit of K ∼20, with a ο(θ) amplitude similar to that estimated by Carlberg et al. at K =21.5. The ο(θ) amplitudes of these K -limited samples are higher than expected from the faint galaxy clustering in the blue and red passbands, but consistent with a pure luminosity evolution model if clustering is stable (ε=0) and the correlation function of early-type galaxies is steeper than that of spirals.
We do not detect a significant cross-correlation between the radio galaxies and the other galaxies in these fields. The upper limits on the cross-correlation are consistent with a mean clustering environment of Abell class 0 for z ∼1.1 radio galaxies, similar to that observed for radio galaxies at z ∼0.5, but would argue against an Abell class 1 or richer environment. As Abell 0 clustering around the radio galaxies would not significantly increase the ο(θ) amplitude of galaxies in these fields, stable clustering with a steep ξ( r ) for E/S0 galaxies appears to remain the most likely interpretation of the ο(θ) amplitude.
At K ≤20, the number of galaxy–galaxy pairs of 2–3 arcsec separation exceeds the random expectation by a factor of 2.15±0.26. The excess of close pairs is comparable to that previously reported for R -band data, and consistent with a ∼(1+ z )² evolution of the galaxy merger rate.     

Starbursts and the triggering of the activity in nearby powerful radio galaxies

We present high-quality long-slit spectra for three nearby powerful radio galaxies – 3C 293, 3C 305 and PKS 1345+12. These were taken with the aim of characterizing the young stellar populations (YSP), and thereby investigating the evolution of the host galaxies, as well as the events that triggered the activity. Isochrone spectral synthesis modelling of the wide wavelength coverage spectra of nuclear and off-nuclear continuum-emitting regions have been used to estimate the ages, masses and luminosities of the YSP component, taking full account of reddening effects and potential contamination by activity-related components. We find that the YSP make a substantial contribution to the continuum flux in the off-nuclear regions on a radial scale of 1–20 kpc in all three objects. Moreover, in two objects we find evidence for reddened post-starburst stellar populations in the near-nuclear regions of the host galaxies. The YSP are relatively old (0.1–2 Gyr), massive  (10⁹ < M _YSP < 2 × 10¹⁰ M_⊙)  and make up a large proportion (∼1–50 per cent) of the total stellar mass in the regions of the galaxies sampled by the observations. Overall, these results are consistent with the idea that the nuclear activity of active galactic nuclei in some radio galaxies is triggered by major gas-rich mergers. Therefore, these radio galaxies form part of the subset of early-type galaxies that is evolving most rapidly in the local Universe. Intriguingly, the results also suggest that the radio jets are triggered relatively late in the merger sequence, and that there is an evolutionary link between radio galaxies and luminous/ultraluminous infrared galaxies.     

The ultraviolet excess in nearby powerful radio galaxies: evidence for a young stellar component

We present William Herschel Telescope spectropolarimetry observations of a complete RA-limited sample of nine low-redshift  (0.05< z <0.2)  3CR radio sources in order to investigate the nature of the ultraviolet (UV) excess in nearby powerful radio galaxies. Of the nine galaxies studied in detail from this sample, we find that four show a measurable UV excess following nebular continuum subtraction, but none of the sources shows significant polarization in the UV. One of the radio galaxies with a UV excess – 3C 184.1 – shows evidence for broad permitted lines and hence direct active galactic nucleus (AGN) light. In the remaining three galaxies we argue that the most likely contributor to the UV excess is a young stellar component. For these three galaxies we find that the best-fitting model for the optical/UV continuum consists of a combination of an old stellar population  (10–15 Gyr  old elliptical galaxy) plus a reddened young stellar population  (0.05–2 Gyr)  . The reddened young stellar component typically accounts for half of the total flux at 4780 Å, following nebular continuum subtraction, and   E ( B - V )  values of between 0.2 and 0.7 mag are required. However, for the majority of sources in our sample (six out of nine), continuum modelling provides no evidence for a significant young stellar component in the nuclear regions of the host galaxies. Our results are discussed in the context of far-infrared evidence for star formation activity.     

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.