Open AccessChandra finds that X‐ray jets are common in low‐power radio galaxies
Author(s) -
Worrall D.M.,
Birkinshaw M.,
Hardcastle M.J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04752.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , radio galaxy , centaurus a , galaxy , luminosity , active galactic nucleus , astronomy , astrophysical jet , jet (fluid) , thermodynamics
We present results for the first three low‐power radio galaxies from the B2 bright sample to have been observed with Chandra . Two have kiloparsec‐scale radio jets, and in both Chandra resolves jet X‐ray emission, and detects soft X‐ray core emission and an X‐ray‐emitting galaxy‐scale atmosphere of luminosity a few ×10 41 erg s −1 . These are the first detections of X‐ray jets in low‐power radio galaxies more distant than Centaurus A and M87. The cooling time of the galaxy‐scale gas implies mass infall rates of the order of 1 M ⊙ yr −1 . The gas pressure near the jets is comparable to the minimum pressure in the jets, implying that the X‐ray‐emitting gas may play an important role in jet dynamics. The third B2 radio galaxy has no kiloparsec‐scale radio jet, and here only soft X‐ray emission from the core is detected. The ratio of X‐ray to radio flux is similar for the jets and cores, and the results favour a synchrotron origin for the emission. Kiloparsec‐scale radio jets are detected in the X‐ray in ∼7‐ks exposures with Chandra more readily than in the optical via Hubble Space Telescope snapshot surveys.