No Arabic abstract
Radio relics are elongated sources related to shocks driven by galaxy cluster merger events. Although these objects are highly polarized at GHz frequencies ($gtrsim 20%$), high-resolution studies of their polarization properties are still lacking. We present the first high-resolution and high-sensitivity polarimetry study of the merging galaxy cluster CIZA J2242.8+5301 in the 1-4 GHz frequency band. We use the $QU$-fitting approach to model the Stokes $I$, $Q$ and $U$ emission, obtaining best-fit intrinsic polarization fraction ($p_0$), intrinsic polarization angle ($chi_0$), Rotation Measure (RM) and wavelength-dependent depolarization ($sigma_{rm RM}$) maps of the cluster. Our analysis focuses on the northern relic (RN). For the first time in a radio relic, we observe a decreasing polarization fraction in the downstream region. Our findings are possibly explained by geometrical projections and/or by decreasing of the magnetic field anisotropy towards the cluster center. From the amount of depolarization of the only detected background radio galaxy, we estimate a turbulent magnetic field strength of $B_{rm turb}sim5.6~mu$Gauss in the relic. Finally, we observe Rotation Measure fluctuations of about 30 rad m$^{-2}$ around at the median value of 140.8 rad m$^{-2}$ at the relic position.
We have combined spectrosopic and photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) with $1.4$ GHz radio observations, conducted as part of the Stripe 82 $1-2$ GHz Snapshot Survey using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), which covers $sim100$ sq degrees, to a flux limit of 88 $mu$Jy rms. Cross-matching the $11,768$ radio source components with optical data via visual inspection results in a final sample of $4,795$ cross-matched objects, of which $1,996$ have spectroscopic redshifts and $2,799$ objects have photometric redshifts. Three previously undiscovered Giant Radio Galaxies (GRGs) were found during the cross-matching process, which would have been missed using automated techniques. For the objects with spectroscopy we separate radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and star-forming galaxies (SFGs) using three diagnostics and then further divide our radio-loud AGN into the HERG and LERG populations. A control matched sample of HERGs and LERGs, matched on stellar mass, redshift and radio luminosity, reveals that the host galaxies of LERGs are redder and more concentrated than HERGs. By combining with near-infrared data, we demonstrate that LERGs also follow a tight $K-z$ relationship. These results imply the LERG population are hosted by population of massive, passively evolving early-type galaxies. We go on to show that HERGs, LERGs, QSOs and star-forming galaxies in our sample all reside in different regions of a WISE colour-colour diagram. This cross-matched sample bridges the gap between previous `wide but shallow and `deep but narrow samples and will be useful for a number of future investigations.
We report on the observation of the 36 GHz methanol maser line in the star forming region DR21W to accurately measure the Zeeman effect. The reported Zeeman signature by Fish et al. (2011) became suspicious after an instrumental effect was discovered in the early days of the Very Large Array Wide-band Digital Architecture (WIDAR) correlator commissioning. We conclude that the previously reported magnetic field strength of 58 mG ((1.7 Hz/mG)/z) is instrumental in nature and thus incorrect. With the improved performance of the array, we now deduce a 3 sigma limit of -4.7 to +0.4 mG ((1.7 Hz/mG)/z) for the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field strength in DR21W.
The Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) is observing the entire sky north of $-40^{circ}$ in the S-band ($2< u<4,$GHz), with the highest angular resolution ($2.5$) of any all-sky radio continuum survey to date. VLASS will cover its entire footprint over three distinct epochs, the first of which has now been observed in full. Based on Quick Look images from this first epoch, we have created a catalog of $1.9times10^{6}$ reliably detected radio components. Due to the limitations of the Quick Look images, component flux densities are underestimated by $sim 15,%$ at $S_{text{peak}}>3,$mJy/beam and are often unreliable for fainter components. We use this catalog to perform statistical analyses of the $ u sim 3,$GHz radio sky. Comparisons with the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm survey (FIRST) show the typical $1.4-3,$GHz spectral index, $alpha$, to be $sim-0.71$. The radio color-color distribution of point and extended components is explored by matching with FIRST and the LOFAR Two Meter Sky Survey. We present the VLASS source counts, $dN/dS$, which are found to be consistent with previous observations at $1.4$ and $3,$GHz. Resolution improvements over FIRST result in excess power in the VLASS two-point correlation function at angular scales $lesssim 7$, and in $18,%$ of active galactic nuclei associated with a single FIRST component being split into multi-component sources by VLASS.
The Gaia Sausage is an elongated structure in velocity space discovered by Belokurov et al. (2018) using the kinematics of metal-rich halo stars. It was created by a massive dwarf galaxy ($sim 5 times 10^{10} M_odot$) on a strongly radial orbit that merged with the Milky Way at a redshift $zlesssim 3$. We search forthe associated Sausage Globular Clusters by analysing the structure of 91 Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) in action space using the Gaia Data Release 2 catalogue, complemented with Hubble Space Telescope proper motions. There is a characteristic energy $E_{rm crit}$ which separates the in situ objects, such as the bulge/disc clusters, from the accreted objects, such as the young halo clusters. There are 15 old halo GCs that have $E > E_{rm crit}$. Eight of the high energy, old halo GCs are strongly clumped in azimuthal and vertical action, yet strung out like beads on a chain at extreme radial action. They are very radially anisotropic ($beta sim 0.95$) and move on orbits that are all highly eccentric ($e gtrsim 0.80$). They also form a track in the age-metallicity plane distinct from the bulk of the Milky Way GCs and compatible with a dwarf spheroidal origin. These properties are consistent with GCs associated with the merger event that gave rise to the Gaia Sausage.
The remnant radio galaxies in galaxy clusters are important sources of seed relativistic electron population in the intra-cluster medium (ICM). Their occurrence and spectral properties are poorly studied. In this work we present a broadband study of the radio relic in the galaxy cluster Abell 4038 using the Upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT). We present the uGMRT images in the bands 300 - 500 MHz and 1050 - 1450 MHz having rms noise $70,mu$Jy beam$^{-1}$ and $30,mu$Jy beam$^{-1}$, respectively, that are the deepest images of this field so far. A spectral analysis of the relic over 300 - 1450 MHz using images in sub-bands scaled to have constant fractional bandwidths to achieve a closely matched uv-coverage was carried out. The 100 kpc extent of the relic is divided into Loop, Arc, Bridge and North-end. The Loop has a steep spectral index of $alpha=2.3pm0.2$ ($S_{ u}propto u^{-alpha}$). The North-end has ultra-steep spectra in the range $2.4 - 3.7$. The Arc is found to skirt a curved region seen in the emph{Chandra} X-ray surface brightness image and the highest spectral curvature in it reaches $1.6pm0.3$. We interpret the morphology and spectral properties of the relic in the scenario of an adiabatically compressed cocoon from the past activity of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy in the cluster. A comparison of the properties of the A4038 relic with a sample of 10 such relics is discussed.