Radio-loud AGN: is there a link between luminosity and cluster environment?

TL;DR

This study investigates the relationship between radio luminosity of AGN and their cluster environments using X-ray data, revealing a weak correlation influenced by galaxy subtypes and highlighting environmental complexity.

Contribution

First systematic X-ray environmental analysis of radio-loud AGN at a single epoch across a wide luminosity range, addressing biases and exploring luminosity-environment links.

Findings

Weak correlation between radio luminosity and cluster X-ray luminosity.

Low-excitation radio galaxies show a stronger link to environment.

Significant scatter suggests complex feedback relationships.

Abstract

We present here the first results from the Chandra ERA (Environments of Radio-loud AGN) Large Project, characterizing the cluster environments of a sample of 26 radio-loud AGN at z ~ 0.5 that covers three decades of radio luminosity. This is the first systematic X-ray environmental study at a single epoch, and has allowed us to examine the relationship between radio luminosity and cluster environment without the problems of Malmquist bias. We have found a weak correlation between radio luminosity and host cluster X-ray luminosity, as well as tentative evidence that this correlation is driven by the subpopulation of low-excitation radio galaxies, with high-excitation radio galaxies showing no significant correlation. The considerable scatter in the environments may be indicative of complex relationships not currently included in feedback models.