A radio ridge connecting two galaxy clusters in a filament of the cosmic web
Journal article, 2019

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.

magnetic field

extraterrestrial matter

Diffuse radio

Author

F. Govoni

Ist Nazl Astrofis

E. Orru

Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

A. Bonafede

University of Bologna

Ist Nazl Astrofis

M. Iacobelli

Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

R. Paladino

Ist Nazl Astrofis

F. Vazza

University of Bologna

Ist Nazl Astrofis

University of Hamburg

M. Murgia

Ist Nazl Astrofis

V. Vacca

Ist Nazl Astrofis

G. Giovannini

Ist Nazl Astrofis

University of Bologna

L. Feretti

Ist Nazl Astrofis

F. Loi

University of Bologna

Ist Nazl Astrofis

G. Bernardi

Square Kilometre Array, South Africa

Rhodes University

Ist Nazl Astrofis

C. Ferrari

University of Côte d'Azur

R. F. Pizzo

Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

C. Gheller

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)

S. Manti

Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa

M. Bruggen

University of Hamburg

G. Brunetti

Ist Nazl Astrofis

R. Cassano

Ist Nazl Astrofis

F. de Gasperin

Leiden University

T. A. Ensslin

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

Max Planck Society

M. Hoeft

Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg

Cathy Horellou

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

H. Junklewitz

Argelander-Institut für Astronomie

H. J. A. Rottgering

Leiden University

A. M. M. Scaife

University of Manchester

T. W. Shimwell

Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

Leiden University

R. J. van Weeren

Leiden University

M. Wise

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

Science

0036-8075 (ISSN) 1095-9203 (eISSN)

Vol. 364 6444 981-984

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

DOI

10.1126/science.aat7500

PubMed

31171695

More information

Latest update

1/13/2023