The discovery of diffuse steep spectrum sources in Abell 2256

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of three diffuse steep spectrum radio sources in Abell 2256, indicating a population of faint, ultra-steep spectrum sources in merging galaxy clusters detectable at low radio frequencies.

Contribution

It presents the first detection of ultra-steep spectrum diffuse radio sources in Abell 2256, highlighting their potential prevalence and importance in understanding cluster mergers.

Findings

Discovered three diffuse radio sources about 1 Mpc from cluster center.

Two sources have an extremely steep spectral index of -2.05 between 140 and 351 MHz.

Sources likely result from adiabatic compression of fossil radio plasma due to merger shocks.

Abstract

Context: Hierarchical galaxy formation models indicate that during their lifetime galaxy clusters undergo several mergers. Here we report on the discovery of three diffuse radio sources in the periphery of Abell 2256, using the GMRT. Aims: The aim of the observations was to search for diffuse ultra-steep spectrum radio sources within the galaxy cluster Abell 2256. Methods: We have carried out GMRT 325 MHz radio continuum observations of Abell 2256. V, R and I band images of the cluster were taken with the 4.2m WHT. Results: We have discovered three diffuse elongated radio sources located about 1 Mpc from the cluster center. Two are located to the west of the cluster center, and one to the southeast. The sources have a measured physical extent of 170, 140 and 240 kpc, respectively. The two western sources are also visible in deep low-resolution 115-165 MHz WSRT images, although they are blended into a single source. For the combined emission of the blended source we find an extreme spectral index of -2.05\pm 0.14 between 140 and 351 MHz. The extremely steep spectral index suggests these two sources are most likely the result of adiabatic compression of fossil radio plasma due to merger shocks. Conclusions: The discovery of the steep spectrum sources implies the existence of a population of faint diffuse radio sources in (merging) clusters with such steep spectra that they have gone unnoticed in higher frequency (\gtrsim 1 GHz) observations. An exciting possibility therefore is that such sources will determine the general appearance of clusters in low-frequency high resolution radio maps as will be produced by for example LOFAR or LWA.