arXiv subjects

P. E. J. Nulsen

Publications and source records attributed to P. E. J. Nulsen.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

New results on particle acceleration in the Centaurus A jet and counterjet from a deep Chandra observation

We present new deep Chandra observations of the Centaurus A jet, with a combined on-source exposure time of 719 ks. These data allow detailed X-ray spectral measurements to be made along the jet out to its disappearance at 4.5 kpc from the nucleus. We distinguish several regimes of high-energy particle acceleration: while the inner part of the jet is dominated by knots and has properties consistent with local particle acceleration at shocks, the particle acceleration in the outer 3.4 kpc of the jet is likely to be dominated by an unknown distributed acceleration mechanism. In addition to several compact counterjet features we detect probable extended emission from a counterjet out to 2.0 kpc from the nucleus, and argue that this implies that the diffuse acceleration process operates in the counterjet as well. A preliminary search for X-ray variability finds no jet knots with dramatic flux density variations, unlike the situation seen in M87.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Heating Hot Atmospheres with Active Galactic Nuclei

High resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the hot gas in galaxy clusters has shown that the gas is not cooling to low temperatures at the predicted rates of hundreds to thousands of solar masses per year. X-ray images have revealed giant cavities and shock fronts in the hot gas that provide a direct and relatively reliable means of measuring the energy injected into hot atmospheres by active galactic nuclei (AGN). Average radio jet powers are near those required to offset radiative losses and to suppress cooling in isolated giant elliptical galaxies, and in larger systems up to the richest galaxy clusters. This coincidence suggests that heating and cooling are coupled by feedback, which suppresses star formation and the growth of luminous galaxies. How jet energy is converted to heat and the degree to which other heating mechanisms are contributing, eg. thermal conduction, are not well understood. Outburst energies require substantial late growth of supermassive black holes. Unless all of the approximately 10E62 erg required to suppress star formation is deposited in the cooling regions of clusters, AGN outbursts must alter large-scale properties of the intracluster medium.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Jet Interactions with the Hot Halos of Clusters and Galaxies

X-ray observations of cavities and shock fronts produced by jets streaming through hot halos have significantly advanced our understanding of the energetics and dynamics of extragalactic radio sources. Radio sources at the centers of clusters have dynamical ages between ten and several hundred million years. They liberate between 1E58-1E62 erg per outburst, which is enough energy to regulate cooling of hot halos from galaxies to the richest clusters. Jet power scales approximately with the radio synchrotron luminosity to the one half power. However, the synchrotron efficiency varies widely from nearly unity to one part in 10,000, such that relatively feeble radio source can have quasar-like mechanical power. The synchrotron ages of cluster radio sources are decoupled from their dynamical ages, which tend to be factors of several to orders of magnitude older. Magnetic fields and particles in the lobes tend to be out of equipartition. The lobes may be maintained by heavy particles (e.g., protons), low energy electrons, a hot, diffuse thermal gas, or possibly magnetic (Poynting) stresses. Sensitive X-ray images of shock fronts and cavities can be used to study the dynamics of extragalactic radio sources.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

A Chandra Study of the Lobe/ISM Interactions Around the Inner Radio Lobes of Centaurus A: Constraints on the Temperature Structure and Transport Processes

We present results from deeper {\em Chandra} observations of the southwest radio lobe of Centaurus A, first described by Kraft et al. (2003). We find that the sharp X-ray surface brightness discontinuity extends around $\sim$75% of the periphery of the radio lobe, and detect significant temperature jumps in the brightest regions of this discontinuity nearest to the nucleus. This demonstrates that this discontinuity is indeed a strong shock which is the result of an overpressure which has built up in the entire lobe over time. Additionally, we demonstrate that if the mean free path for ions to transfer energy and momentum to the electrons behind the shock is as large as the Spitzer value, the electron and proton temperatures will not have equilibrated along the SW boundary of the radio lobe where the shock is strongest. Thus the proton temperature of the shocked gas could be considerably larger than the observed electron temperature, and the total energy of the outburst correspondingly larger as well. We investigate this using a simple one-dimensional shock model for a two-fluid (proton/electron) plasma. We find that for the thermodynamic parameters of the Cen A shock the electron temperature rises rapidly from $\sim$0.29 keV (the temperature of the ambient ISM) to $\sim$3.5 keV at which point heating from the protons is balanced by adiabatic losses. The proton and electron temperatures do not equilibrate in a timescale less than the age of the lobe. We note that the measured electron temperature of similar features in other nearby powerful radio galaxies in poor environments may considerably underestimate the strength and velocity of the shock.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The Disturbed 17 keV Cluster Associated with the Radio Galaxy 3C 438

We present results from a {\em Chandra} observation of the cluster gas associated with the FR II radio galaxy 3C 438. This radio galaxy is embedded within a massive cluster with gas temperature $\sim$17 keV and bolometric luminosity of 6$\times10^{45}$ ergs s$^{-1}$. It is unclear if this high temperature represents the gravitational mass of the cluster, or if this is an already high ($\sim$ 11 keV) temperature cluster that has been heated transiently. We detect a surface brightness discontinuity in the gas that extends $\sim$600 kpc through the cluster. The radio galaxy 3C 438 is too small ($\sim$110 kpc across) and too weak to have created this large disturbance in the gas. The discontinuity must be the result of either an extremely powerful nuclear outburst or the major merger of two massive clusters. If the observed features are the result of a nuclear outburst, it must be from an earlier epoch of unusually energetic nuclear activity. However, the energy required ($\sim10^{63}$ ergs) to move the gas on the observed spatial scales strongly supports the merger hypothesis. In either scenario, this is one of the most extreme events in the local Universe.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Radio Properties of Cavities in the ICM: Imprints of AGN Activity

We present new, high resolution radio images of sources associated with cD galaxies and X-ray cavity systems located in cluster cores. The cavity properties derived from archival Chandra observations give reliable estimates of the total jet power and age independently of the radio synchrotron flux. We combine the X-ray data and VLA radio images taken at multiple frequencies to investigate several fundamental properties of cluster radio sources, including their radiative (mechanical) efficiencies, magnetic field contents, and particle contents, and we evaluate the assumption of equipartition in these systems. We show that high radio frequencies probe the current AGN output, while frequencies at or below 327 MHz trace the history of AGN activity in the cores of clusters over the past several hundred million years.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Growth of Black Holes and Bulges at the Cores of Cooling Flows

Central cluster galaxies (cDs) in cooling flows are growing rapidly through gas accretion and star formation. At the same time, AGN outbursts fueled by accretion onto supermassive black holes are generating X-ray cavity systems and driving outflows that exceed those in powerful quasars. We show that the resulting bulge and black hole growth follows a trend that is roughly consistent with the slope of the local (Magorrian) relation between bulge and black hole mass for nearby quiescent ellipticals. However, a large scatter suggests that cD bulges and black holes do not always grow in lock-step. New measurements made with XMM, Chandra, and FUSE of the condensation rates in cooling flows are now approaching or are comparable to the star formation rates, alleviating the need for an invisible sink of cold matter. We show that the remaining radiation losses can be offset by AGN outbursts in more than half of the systems in our sample, indicating that the level of cooling and star formation is regulated by AGN feedback.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

X-ray Supercavities in the Hydra A Cluster and the Outburst History of the Central Galaxy's Active Nucleus

A 227 ksec Chandra Observatory X-ray image of the hot plasma in the Hydra A cluster has revealed an extensive cavity system. The system was created by a continuous outflow or a series of bursts from the nucleus of the central galaxy over the past 200-500 Myr. The cavities have displaced 10% of the plasma within a 300 kpc radius of the central galaxy, creating a swiss-cheese-like topology in the hot gas. The surface brightness decrements are consistent with empty cavities oriented within 40 degrees of the plane of the sky. The outflow has deposited upward of 10^61 erg into the cluster gas, most of which was propelled beyond the inner ~100 kpc cooling region. The supermassive black hole has accreted at a rate of approximately 0.1-0.25 solar masses per year over this time frame, which is a small fraction of the Eddington rate of a ~10^9 solar mass black hole, but is dramatically larger than the Bondi rate. Given the previous evidence for a circumnuclear disk of cold gas in Hydra A, these results are consistent with the AGN being powered primarily by infalling cold gas. The cavity system is shadowed perfectly by 330 MHz radio emission. Such low frequency synchrotron emission may be an excellent proxy for X-ray cavities and thus the total energy liberated by the supermassive black hole.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

AGN Heating through Cavities and Shocks

Three comments are made on AGN heating of cooling flows. A simple physical argument is used to show that the enthalpy of a buoyant radio lobe is converted to heat in its wake. Thus, a significant part of ``cavity'' enthalpy is likely to end up as heat. Second, the properties of the repeated weak shocks in M87 are used to argue that they can plausibly prevent gas close to the AGN from cooling. As the most significant heating mechanism at work closest to the AGN, shock heating probably plays a critical role in the feedback mechanism. Third, results are presented from a survey of AGN heating rates in nearby giant elliptical galaxies. With inactive systems included, the overall AGN heating rate is reasonably well matched to the total cooling rate for the sample. Thus, intermittent AGN outbursts are energetically capable of preventing the hot atmospheres of these galaxies from cooling and forming stars.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Feedback-Regulated Growth of Black Holes and Bulges through Gas Accretion and Starbursts in Cluster Central Dominant Galaxies

We present an analysis of the growth of black holes through accretion and bulges through star formation in 33 galaxies at the centers of cooling flows. Most of these systems show evidence of cavities in the intracluster medium (ICM) inflated by radio jets emanating from their active galactic nuclei (AGN). We present a new and extensive analysis of X-ray cavities in these systems. We find that AGN are energetically able to balance radiative losses (cooling) from the ICM in more than half of our sample. Using a subsample of 17 systems, we examine the relationship between cooling and star formation. We find that the star formation rates are approaching or are comparable to X-ray and far UV limits on the rates of gas condensation onto the central galaxy. The remaining radiative losses could be offset by AGN feedback. The vast gulf between radiative losses and the sink of cooling material, which has been the primary objection to cooling flows, has narrowed and, in some cases, is no longer a serious issue. Using the cavity (jet) powers, we place strong lower limits on the rate of growth of supermassive black holes in central galaxies, and we find that they are growing at an average rate of ~ 0.1 solar masses per year, with some systems growing as quickly as ~ 1 solar mass per year. We find a trend between bulge growth (star formation) and black hole growth that is approximately in accordance with the slope of the local (Magorrian) relation between black hole and bulge mass. However, the large scatter in the trend suggests that bulges and black holes do not always grow in lock step. (Abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Chandra Observations of Gas Stripping in the Elliptical Galaxy NGC 4552 in the Virgo Cluster

We use a 54.4 ks Chandra observation to study ram-pressure stripping in NGC4552 (M89), an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. Chandra images in the 0.5-2 keV band show a sharp leading edge in the surface brightness 3.1 kpc north of the galaxy center, a cool (kT =0.51^{+0.09}_{-0.06} keV) tail with mean density n_e ~5.4 +/- 1.7 x 10^{-3} cm^{-3} extending ~10 kpc to the south of the galaxy, and two 3-4 kpc horns of emission extending southward away from the leading edge. These are all features characteristic of supersonic ram-pressure stripping of galaxy gas, due to NGC4552's motion through the surrounding Virgo ICM. Fitting the surface brightness profile and spectra across the leading edge, we find the galaxy gas inside the edge is cooler (kT = 0.43^{+0.03}_{-0.02} keV) and denser (n_e ~ 0.010 cm^{-3}) than the surrounding Virgo ICM (kT = 2.2^{+0.7}_{-0.4} keV and n_e = 3.0 +/- 0.3 x 10^{-4} cm^{-3}). The resulting pressure ratio between the free-streaming ICM and cluster gas at the stagnation point is ~7.6^{+3.4}_{-2.0} for galaxy gas metallicities of 0.5^{+0.5}_{-0.3} Zsolar, which suggests that NGC4552 is moving supersonically through the cluster with a velocity v ~ 1680^{+390}_{-220} km/s (Mach 2.2^{+0.5}_{-0.3}) at an angle xi ~ 35 +/- 7 degrees towards us with respect to the plane of the sky.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Chandra Observations of Nuclear Outflows in the Elliptical Galaxy NGC4552 in the Virgo Cluster

We use a 54.4 ks Chandra observation to study nuclear outflow activity in NGC4552 (M89), an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. Chandra images in the 0.5-2 keV band show two ring-like features ~1.7 kpc in diameter in the core of NGC4552, as reported previously by Filho et al. We use spherically symmetric point explosion shock models to argue that the shape of the surface brightness profile across the rims of the rings and the temperature of hot gas in the rings are consistent with a Mach 1.7 shock carrying mean mechanical power L_shock ~ 3 x 10^{41} ergs/s produced by a ~1.4 x 10^{55} ergs nuclear outburst \~1 - 2 Myr ago. We find the gas temperature in the central ~100 pc of the galaxy to be 1.0 +/- 0.2 keV, hotter than elsewhere in the galaxy, suggesting that we may be observing directly the reheating of the galaxy ISM by the outburst.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The complex X-ray morphology of NGC 7618: A major group-group merger in the local Universe?

We present results from a short {\em Chandra}/ACIS-S observation of NGC 7618, the dominant central galaxy of a nearby ($z$=0.017309, d=74.1 Mpc) group. We detect a sharp surface brightness discontinuity 14.4 kpc N of the nucleus subtending an angle of 130$^\circ$ with an X-ray tail extending $\sim$ 70 kpc in the opposite direction. The temperature of the gas inside and outside the discontinuity is 0.79$\pm$0.03 and 0.81$\pm$0.07 keV, respectively. There is marginal evidence for a discontinuous change in the elemental abundance ($Z_{inner}$=0.65$\pm$0.25,$Z_{outer}$=0.17$\pm$0.21 at 90% confidence), suggesting that this may be an `abundance' front. Fitting a two-temperature model to the ASCA/GIS spectrum of the NGC 7618/UGC 12491 pair shows the presence of a second, much hotter ($T$=$\sim$2.3 keV) component. We consider several scenarios for the origin of the edge and the tail including a radio lobe/IGM interaction, non-hydrostatic `sloshing', equal-mass merger and collision, and ram-pressure stripping. In the last case, we consider the possibility that NGC 7618 is falling into UGC 12491, or that both groups are falling into a gas poor cluster potential. There are significant problems with the first two models, however, and we conclude that the discontinuity and tail are most likely the result of ram pressure stripping of the NGC 7618 group as it falls into a larger dark matter potential.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

A 70 kpc X-ray tail in the cluster A3627

We present the discovery of a 70 kpc X-ray tail behind the small late-type galaxy ESO137-001 in the nearby, hot (T=6.5 keV) merging cluster A3627, from both Chandra and XMM observations. The tail has a length-to-width ratio of ~ 10. It is luminous (L_{0.5-2 keV} ~ 10^41 ergs s^-1, with a temperature of ~ 0.7 keV and an X-ray M_gas of ~ 10^9 M_solar (~ 10% of the galaxy's stellar mass). We interpret this tail as the stripped interstellar medium of ESO137-001 mixed with the hot cluster medium, when this blue galaxy is being converted into a gas-poor galaxy. Three X-ray point sources are detected in the axis of the tail, which may imply active star formation in the tail. The straightness and narrowness of the tail also implies that the ICM turbulence is not strong on scales of 20 - 70 kpc.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Luminosity segregation in three clusters of galaxies (A119, 2443, 2218)

We use deep wide-field V-band imaging obtained with the Wide Field Camera at the prime focus of the Issac Newton Telescope to study the spatial and luminosity distribution of galaxies in three low redshift (0.04<z<0.2) clusters: Abell 119, Abell 2443 and Abell 2218. The absolute magnitude limits probed in these clusters are M_{V} - 5logh_{0.7} = -13.3, -15.4 and -16.7mag respectively. The galaxy population, at all luminosities, along the line-of-sight to the clusters can be described by the linear combination of a King profile and a constant surface density of field galaxies. We find that, for these three clusters, the core radius is invariant with intrinsic luminosity of the cluster population to the above limits and thus there is no evidence for luminosity segregation in these clusters. The exception is the brightest galaxies in A2218 which exhibit a more compact spatial distribution. We find the total projected luminosity distribution (within 1Mpc of the cluster centre) can be well represented by a single Schechter function with moderately flat faint-end slopes: alpha=-1.22 (A119), alpha=-1.11 (A2443) and alpha=-1.14 (A2218). We perform a geometric deprojection of the cluster galaxy population and confirm that no `statistically significant' evidence of a change in the shape of the luminosity distribution with cluster-centric radius exists. Again, the exception being A2218 which exhibits a core region with a flatter faint-end slope.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

The powerful outburst in Hercules A

The radio source Hercules A resides at the center of a cooling flow cluster of galaxies at redshift z = 0.154. A Chandra X-ray image reveals a shock front in the intracluster medium (ICM) surrounding the radio source, about 160 kpc from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) that hosts it. The shock has a Mach number of 1.65, making it the strongest of the cluster-scale shocks driven by an AGN outburst found so far. The age of the outburst ~5.9e7 y, its energy about 3e61 erg and its mean power ~1.6e46 erg/s. As for the other large AGN outbursts in cooling flow clusters, this outburst overwhelms radiative losses from the ICM of the Hercules A cluster by a factor of ~100. It adds to the case that AGN outbursts are a significant source of preheating for the ICM. Unless the mechanical efficiency of the AGN in Hercules A exceeds 10%, the central black hole must have grown by more than 1.7e8 Msun to power this one outburst.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Heating a Distant Galaxy Cluster by Giant X-ray Cavities and Large-Scale Shock Fronts

We report the discovery of a pair of giant cavities, each nearly 200 kpc in diameter, embedded in the gaseous halo of the redshift z=0.216 galaxy cluster MS0735.6+7421. The cavities appear as surface brightness depressions in an image of the cluster taken with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The X-ray cavities are filled with radio emission and are bounded by an elliptical shock structure resembling a ``radio cocoon.'' The shock's energy and age, ~6E61 erg and ~100 Myr, respectively, give a time averaged power of ~1.7E46 erg/s, making it the most powerful radio outburst known. The outburst is apparently heating the cluster by 1/3 keV per particle, which is sufficient to quench a large cooling flow for several Gyr and to supply a substantial fraction of the energy required to "preheat" the cluster. If the outburst was powered by accretion onto a supermassive black hole, more than 3E8 solar masses of material would be required to do so. This implies that the putative supermassive black hole lying at the center of the cD galaxy has accreted a substantial fraction of its own mass in less than 100 Myr.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

The cluster-scale AGN outburst in Hydra A

Deep Chandra observations of the Hydra A Cluster reveal a feature in the X-ray surface brightness that surrounds the 330 MHz radio lobes of the AGN at the cluster center. Surface brightness profiles of this feature and its close association with the radio lobes argue strongly that it is a shock front driven by the expanding radio lobes. The Chandra image also reveals other new structure on smaller scales that is associated with the radio source, including a large cavity and filament. The shock front extends 200 - 300 kpc from the AGN at the cluster center and its strength varies along the front, with Mach numbers in the range ~ 1.2 - 1.4. It is stronger where it is more distant from the cluster center, as expected for a shock driven by expanding radio lobes. Simple modeling gives an age for the shock front ~ 1.4\times10^8 y and a total energy driving it of ~ 10^{61} erg. The mean mechanical power driving the shock is comparable to quasar luminosities, well in excess of that needed to regulate the cooling core in Hydra A. This suggests that the feedback regulating cooling cores is inefficient, in that the bulk of the energy is deposited beyond the cooling core. In that case, a significant part of cluster "preheating" is a byproduct of the regulation of cooling cores.

astro-ph↗