Dynamical Age vs Spectral Age of the Lobes of Selected Giant Radio Sources (GRSs)

TL;DR

This paper compares dynamical and spectral ages of giant radio source lobes, finding their ratios vary between 1 and 5, and explores the implications of different density profiles and age estimates.

Contribution

It introduces a self-consistent method to analyze the ages of radio lobes considering varying density profiles, extending previous studies to giant radio sources.

Findings

Dynamical age ratios between lobes are 1.1 to 1.4.

Spectral to dynamical age ratios range from 1 to 5.

Different density profiles influence age estimates.

Abstract

Dynamical ages of the opposite lobes determined {\sl independently} of each other suggest that their ratios are between $\sim$1.1 to $\sim$1.4. Demanding similar values of the jet power and the radio core density for the same GRS, we look for a {\sl self-consistent} solution for the opposite lobes, which results in different density profiles along them found by the fit. A comparison of the dynamical and spectral ages shows that their ratio is between $\sim$1 and $\sim$5, i.e. is similar to that found for smaller radio galaxies. Two causes of this effect are pointed out.