A radio ridge connecting two galaxy clusters in a filament of the cosmic web

Govoni, F.; Orru, E.; Bonafede, A.; Iacobelli, M.; Paladino, R.; Vazza, F.; Murgia, M.; Vacca, V.; Giovannini, G.; Feretti, L.; Loi, F.; Bernardi, G.; Ferrari, C.; Pizzo, R. F.; Gheller, C.; Manti, S.; Bruggen, M.; Brunetti, G.; Cassano, R.; Gasperin, F. de; Ensslin, T. A.; Hoeft, M.; Horellou, C.; Junklewitz, H.; Rottgering, H. J. A.; Scaife, A. M. M.; Shimwell, T. W.; Weeren, R. J. van und Wise, M. (2019): A radio ridge connecting two galaxy clusters in a filament of the cosmic web. In: Science, Vol. 364, No. 6444

Abstract

Galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationally bound structures in the Universe. They grow by accreting smaller structures in a merging process that produces shocks and turbulence in the intracluster gas. We observed a ridge of radio emission connecting the merging galaxy clusters Abell 0399 and Abell 0401 with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope network at 140 megahertz. This emission requires a population of relativistic electrons and a magnetic field located in a filament between the two galaxy clusters. We performed simulations to show that a volume-filling distribution of weak shocks may reaccelerate a preexisting population of relativistic particles, producing emission at radio wavelengths that illuminates the magnetic ridge.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics
• ISSN: 0036-8075
• Language: English