TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffuse cluster-like radio emission in poor environments
AU - Brown, Shea
AU - Rudnick, Lawrence
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - We present a study of the spectral, polarimetric, morphological, and environmental properties of the diffuse radio source 0809+39 using observations taken with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, the Very Large Array, and archival optical and X-ray data. The source has two distinct diffuse, steep-spectrum components, one in the north that is highly polarized, and a linear southern component undetected in polarization. We discuss several plausible origins for each component, and conclude that the northern bright polarized component is most likely a radio relic associated with a poor z 0.2 cluster of galaxies, with a radio/X-ray luminosity ratio two orders of magnitude above typical values. The southern component is aligned with a more extended filament of galaxies 5Mpc long at z 0.04. Deep optical and X-ray follow-ups are still needed in order to confirm and understand the physical origins of the synchrotron emission. Whatever the details of these origins, 0809+39 highlights the utility of synchrotron radiation for illuminating the diffuse components of low density environments unrelated to rich clusters.
AB - We present a study of the spectral, polarimetric, morphological, and environmental properties of the diffuse radio source 0809+39 using observations taken with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, the Very Large Array, and archival optical and X-ray data. The source has two distinct diffuse, steep-spectrum components, one in the north that is highly polarized, and a linear southern component undetected in polarization. We discuss several plausible origins for each component, and conclude that the northern bright polarized component is most likely a radio relic associated with a poor z 0.2 cluster of galaxies, with a radio/X-ray luminosity ratio two orders of magnitude above typical values. The southern component is aligned with a more extended filament of galaxies 5Mpc long at z 0.04. Deep optical and X-ray follow-ups are still needed in order to confirm and understand the physical origins of the synchrotron emission. Whatever the details of these origins, 0809+39 highlights the utility of synchrotron radiation for illuminating the diffuse components of low density environments unrelated to rich clusters.
KW - Galaxies: clusters: general
KW - Large-scale structure of universe
KW - Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal
KW - Radio continuum: general
KW - Techniques: polarimetric
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U2 - 10.1088/0004-6256/137/2/3158
DO - 10.1088/0004-6256/137/2/3158
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:66249104646
SN - 0004-6256
VL - 137
SP - 3158
EP - 3171
JO - Astronomical Journal
JF - Astronomical Journal
IS - 2
ER -