Testing the Connection Between Radio Mini-Halos and Core Gas Sloshing with MHD Simulations

TL;DR

This paper uses MHD simulations to explore how gas sloshing in galaxy clusters might generate turbulence that reaccelerates electrons, explaining the origin of radio mini-halos.

Contribution

It provides the first MHD simulation-based evidence linking core gas sloshing to turbulence-induced particle reacceleration in galaxy clusters.

Findings

Simulations show turbulence correlates with sloshing motions.

Passive tracers indicate potential for electron reacceleration.

Preliminary results support the sloshing-mini-halo connection.

Abstract

Radio mini-halos are diffuse, steep-spectrum synchrotron sources associated with relaxed clusters of galaxies. Observations of some mini-halo sources indicate a correlation between the radio emission and the X-ray signature of gas sloshing, "cold fronts." Some authors have suggested turbulence associated with the sloshing motions reaccelerate relativistic electrons, resulting in emission associated with the fronts. We present MHD simulations of core gas sloshing in a galaxy cluster, where we measure the turbulence created by these motions and employ passive tracer particles to act as relativistic electrons that may be accelerated by such turbulence. Our preliminary results support such a link between sloshing motions and particle reacceleration.