A study of the environments of large radio galaxies using SDSS

TL;DR

This study investigates the environments of 16 large radio galaxies using SDSS data, revealing asymmetries in their structures likely caused by intergalactic medium variations and relativistic effects.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how galaxy environments influence the morphology and asymmetries of large radio galaxies.

Findings

Most large sources are in low-density regions.

Shorter radio arms are often brighter, indicating environmental asymmetries.

Relativistic motion may explain flux asymmetries in some cases.

Abstract

The distributions of galaxies in the environments of 16 large radio sources have been examined using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. In the giant radio galaxy J1552+2005 (3C326) which has the highest arm-length ratio, the shorter arm is found to interact with a group of galaxies which forms part of a filamentary structure. Although most large sources occur in regions of low galaxy density, the shorter arm is brighter in most cases suggesting asymmetries in the intergalactic medium which may not be apparent in the distribution of galaxies. In two cases with strong and variable cores, J0313+4120 and J1147+3501, the large flux density asymmetries are possibly also caused by the effects of relativistic motion.