SZ effect from radio-galaxy lobes: astrophysical and cosmological relevance

TL;DR

This paper models the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect caused by high-energy electrons in radio galaxy lobes, estimating its characteristics and discussing its detectability and significance for astrophysics and cosmology.

Contribution

It provides the first quantitative estimates of the SZ effect from radio galaxy lobes, linking X-ray observations to microwave signatures and exploring their potential for future observations.

Findings

SZ effect spectral and spatial characteristics characterized for specific radio galaxies.

Predictions made for detectability with next-generation microwave and sub-mm experiments.

Discussion of the SZ effect's relevance in astrophysical and cosmological studies.

Abstract

We derive the SZ effect arising in radio-galaxy lobes that are filled with high-energy, non-thermal electrons. We provide here quantitative estimates for SZ effect expected from the radio galaxy lobes by normalizing it to the Inverse-Compton light, observed in the X-ray band, as produced by the extrapolation to low energies of the radio emitting electron spectrum in these radio lobes. We compute the spectral and spatial characteristics of the SZ effect associated to the radio lobes of two distant radio galaxies (3C294 and 3C432) recently observed by Chandra, and we further discuss its detectability with the next generation microwave and sub-mm experiments with arcsec and $\sim \mu$K sensitivity. We finally highlight the potential use of the SZE from radio-galaxy lobes in the astrophysical and cosmological context.