Imaging results from the legacy GMRT Galaxy Cluster Key Project

TL;DR

This study utilized archival GMRT data to image and analyze 39 galaxy clusters, detecting radio halos in two clusters for the first time and confirming extended emissions in others, contributing valuable data to understanding cluster radio properties.

Contribution

First detection of radio halos in RXC J0510-0801 and RXC J2211.7-0349 using archival GMRT data, and comprehensive analysis of radio emissions in a large cluster sample.

Findings

Radio halos detected in two clusters for the first time.

Confirmed extended emission in 11 clusters from literature.

Detected correlations between radio power, X-ray luminosity, and cluster mass.

Abstract

We have used archival GMRT data to image and study 39 galaxy clusters. These observations were made as part of the GMRT Key Project on galaxy clusters between 2001 and 2004. The observations presented in this sample include 14 observations at 610 MHz, 29 at 325 MHz and 3 at 244 MHz covering a redshift range of 0.02 to 0.62. Multi-frequency observations were made for 8 clusters. We analysed the clusters using the SPAM processing software and detected the presence of radio halo emission for the first time in the clusters RXC J0510-0801 and RXC J2211.7-0349. We also confirmed the presence of extended emission in 11 clusters which were known from the literature. In clusters where halos were not detected upper limits were placed using our own semi-automated program. We plot our detections and non-detections on the empirical $L_X-P_{1.4}$ and $M_{500}-P_{1.4}$ relation in radio halo clusters and discuss the results. The best fits follow a power law of the form $L_{500} \propto P_{1.4}^{1.82}$ and $M_{500} \propto P_{1.4}^{3.001}$ which is in accordance with the best estimates in the literature.