Interactions of radio galaxies and the intracluster medium in Abell 160 and Abell 2462 |
| |
Authors: | Nazirah N Jetha Irini Sakelliou Martin J Hardcastle Trevor J Ponman Ian R Stevens |
| |
Institution: | School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT;School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB;Department of Physics, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL |
| |
Abstract: | We present Chandra and Very Large Array observations of two galaxy clusters, Abell 160 and Abell 2462, whose brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) host wide angle tailed radio galaxies (WATs). We search for evidence of interactions between the radio emission and the hot, X-ray emitting gas, and we test various jet termination models. We find that both clusters have cool BCGs at the cluster centre, and that the scale of these cores (∼30–40 kpc for both sources) is of approximately the same scale as the length of the radio jets. For both sources, the jet flaring point is coincident with a steepening in the host cluster's temperature gradient, and similar results are found for 3C 465 and Hydra A. However, none of the published models of WAT formation offers a satisfactory explanation as to why this may be the case. Therefore, it is unclear what causes the sudden transition between the jet and the plume. Without accurate modelling, we cannot ascertain whether the steepening of the temperature gradient is the main cause of the transition, or merely a tracer of an underlying process. |
| |
Keywords: | galaxies: active galaxies: clusters: individual: Abell 160 galaxies: clusters: individual: Abell 2462 radio continuum: galaxies X-rays: galaxies: clusters |
|
|