Self-regulating AGN jets in MHD simulations of cool-core clusters yield realistic FRI radio morphologies viewed along the jet axis and account for frequency-independent lobe extents via 1-50 μG fields allowing both young and old electrons to radiate.
Simulating cosmic ray electron spectra and radio emission from an AGN jet outburst in a cool-core cluster
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abstract
Active galactic nucleus (AGN) powered jets can accelerate cosmic ray electrons, leading to the observed radio synchrotron emission. To simulate this emission, jet dynamics in galaxy clusters must be coupled to electron spectral modelling. We run magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of a single AGN jet outburst in a Perseus-like galaxy cluster and adopt a sub-grid model for the acceleration of cosmic ray protons and electrons at unresolved internal shocks in the jet. We evolve cosmic ray electron spectra along Lagrangian trajectories using the Fokker-Planck solver Crest and compute the non-thermal emission using Crayon+. The resulting total electron spectrum reaches a steady-state slope at high momenta, with a gradually decreasing normalization over time, while the lower-momentum portion continues to resemble a freely cooling spectrum. The interaction of the jets with the turbulent cluster environment inflates lobes which rise buoyantly, induce amplification of the magnetic fields and uplift old cosmic ray populations in the wake of the bubbles. We connect radio spectral indices to electron injection ages: at a given radio frequency, weaker magnetic fields are illuminated by higher momenta electrons, whose age is determined by the last injection event. On the other hand, stronger magnetic fields are illuminated by lower momenta electrons, whose age is determined by the maximum energy injection event in the past. This powerful approach allows us to relate the underlying MHD properties to electron spectra and the resulting radio synchrotron emission, thereby enabling us to infer the underlying physics from observed radio properties.
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Advection-only galactic wind models fail to reproduce observed vertical radio profiles without unrealistic velocities, synchrotron spectra are biased toward young electrons in dense regions, and bremsstrahlung/Coulomb losses cannot be neglected even when subdominant.
3D RMHD simulations with hybrid particle tracking reproduce the weak radio and strong X-ray redshift evolution in AGN jets via IC/CMB, including the (1+z)^4 X-ray scaling and the alpha-z relation.
Cosmological simulations with AGN jet feedback reproduce observed cool-core cluster ICM properties more accurately than isolated simulations or IllustrisTNG due to merger-driven effects on gas velocity and warm gas abundance.
citing papers explorer
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Simulating realistic radio morphologies of Fanaroff-Riley I jets in a self-regulating cool-core cluster
Self-regulating AGN jets in MHD simulations of cool-core clusters yield realistic FRI radio morphologies viewed along the jet axis and account for frequency-independent lobe extents via 1-50 μG fields allowing both young and old electrons to radiate.
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Revisiting radio synchrotron diagnostics in star-forming galaxies
Advection-only galactic wind models fail to reproduce observed vertical radio profiles without unrealistic velocities, synchrotron spectra are biased toward young electrons in dense regions, and bremsstrahlung/Coulomb losses cannot be neglected even when subdominant.
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The Radio--X-ray Correlation of High-Redshift AGN: A Numerical Study of Inverse-Compton Scattering of the CMB Photons in Relativistic Jets
3D RMHD simulations with hybrid particle tracking reproduce the weak radio and strong X-ray redshift evolution in AGN jets via IC/CMB, including the (1+z)^4 X-ray scaling and the alpha-z relation.
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Active galactic nucleus driven jet feedback in cosmologically forming cool-core galaxy clusters I: The effect of hierarchical assembly on intra-cluster medium properties
Cosmological simulations with AGN jet feedback reproduce observed cool-core cluster ICM properties more accurately than isolated simulations or IllustrisTNG due to merger-driven effects on gas velocity and warm gas abundance.