Discovery of large-scale diffuse radio emission in low-mass galaxy cluster Abell 1931

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a large, diffuse, ultra-steep spectrum radio source in the low-mass galaxy cluster Abell 1931, identified as a remnant radio galaxy with implications for feedback processes.

Contribution

First detection of a large-scale diffuse radio source in a low-mass galaxy cluster, revealing a rare remnant radio galaxy with an ultra-steep spectrum at low frequencies.

Findings

Source has a largest linear size of ~550 kpc.

Spectral index between 143 MHz and 325 MHz is -2.86.

Cluster X-ray data indicates a mass of ~10^14 solar masses.

Abstract

Extended, steep-spectrum radio synchrotron sources are pre-dominantly found in massive galaxy clusters as opposed to groups. LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey images have revealed a diffuse, ultra-steep spectrum radio source in the low-mass cluster Abell 1931. The source has a fairly irregular morphology with a largest linear size of about 550 kpc. The source is only seen in LOFAR observations at 143 MHz and GMRT observations at 325 MHz. The spectral index of the total source between 143 MHz and 325 MHz is $\alpha_{143}^{325} = -2.86 \pm 0.36$. The source remains invisible in Very Large Array (1-2 GHz) observations as expected given the spectral index. Chandra X-ray observations of the cluster revealed a bolometric luminosity of $L_X = (1.65 \pm 0.39) \times 10^{43}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and a temperature of $2.92_{-0.87}^{+1.89}$ keV which implies a mass of around $\sim 10^{14} M_{\odot}$. We conclude that the source is a remnant radio galaxy that has shut off around 200 Myr ago. The brightest cluster galaxy, a radio-loud elliptical galaxy, could be the source for this extinct source. Unlike remnant sources studied in the literature, our source has a steep spectrum at low radio frequencies. Studying such remnant radio galaxies at low radio frequencies is important for understanding the scarcity of such sources and their role in feedback processes.