Discovery of a Supercluster in the eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey: X-ray Properties, Radio Halo, and Double Relics

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a new supercluster at z=0.36 in the eROSITA survey, analyzing its X-ray, optical, and radio properties, and identifying radio relics indicative of merger activity, demonstrating eROSITA's potential for large-scale structure studies.

Contribution

The study presents the first identification and multi-wavelength analysis of a supercluster in eROSITA data, including the detection of radio relics and constraints on the warm-hot intergalactic medium.

Findings

Discovery of a supercluster with eight galaxy clusters at z=0.36.

Detection of two new radio relics indicating merger activity.

Upper limits on the warm-hot intergalactic medium consistent with previous studies.

Abstract

We examine the X-ray, optical, and radio properties for the members clusters of a new supercluster discovered during the SRG/eROSITA Performance Verification phase. In the 140 deg2 eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS) field we detect a previously unknown supercluster consisting of a chain of eight galaxy clusters at z=0.36. The redshifts of these members are determined through HSC photometric measurements. We examine the X-ray morphological and dynamical properties, gas and total mass out to R500 of the members and compare them with the general population of clusters detected in the eFEDS field. We further investigate the gas in the bridge region between the cluster members for a potential WHIM detection. Radio follow-up observations with LOFAR and uGMRT are used to search for diffuse emission and constrain the dynamic state of the system. We do not find significant differences in the morphological parameters and properties of the intra-cluster medium of the clusters embedded in this large-scale filament compared to eFEDS clusters. We also provide upper limits on the electron number density and mass of the warm-hot intergalactic medium as provided by the eROSITA data. These limits are consistent with previously reported values for the detections in the vicinity of clusters of galaxies. In LOFAR and uGMRT follow-up observations of the northern part of this supercluster we find two new radio relics that are the result of major merger activity in the system. These early results show the potential of eROSITA to probe large-scale structures such as superclusters and the properties of their members. Our forecasts show that we will be able to detect 450 superclusters with 3000 member clusters located in the eROSITA_DE region at the final eROSITA all-sky survey depth, enabling statistical studies of the properties of superclusters and their constituents embedded in the cosmic web.