Numerical modelling of the lobes of radio galaxies VI. Polarimetric simulations of universal pressure profile cluster atmospheres

Abstract

We present the results of a polarization study based upon relativistic magnetohydrodynamic modelling of jets running into hydrostatic, spherically symmetric cluster atmospheres. For the first time in a numerical simulation, we derive Faraday rotation measure maps (RM maps) from model cluster atmospheres based upon the universal pressure profile (UPP), incorporating a temperature profile for a 'typical' self-similar atmosphere described by only one parameter: M500. We compare our simulated polarization products with current observational data from Very Large Array (VLA) and LOw Frequency ARay (LOFAR), as well as continuing investigations from our previous work, such as the detectability of the Laing Garrington effect. We also studied the variation of mean fractional polarization with cluster mass and jet power. We produce simulated Stokes Q and U channel images and using the Rotation Measure (RM) synthesis technique we create RM maps. These data provide insight into what we should expect of current and future high-resolution polarimetric studies of active galactic nucleus (AGN) outflows as we were able to probe the limitations of the RM synthesis technique by comparing it with the RM map direct from our simulations. Highlights of our study include clear reproduction of polarization enhancements towards the edges of radio lobes for suitable conditions and a demonstration that complex lobe morphologies with multiple emission and Faraday active regions interspersed as might be expected in some pole-on or perhaps precessing sources should be distinguishable in observations with current technology. Given that the UPP is our most representative general cluster atmosphere, these numerical simulations, and the polarimetric properties derived from them, represent the most realistic yet for spherically symmetric atmospheres.