Collimation of the kiloparsec-scale radio jets in NGC 2663

TL;DR

This study reports the discovery of highly-collimated, kiloparsec-scale radio jets in NGC 2663, possibly showing recollimation due to environmental pressure, with multiwavelength data revealing detailed jet structure and environment characteristics.

Contribution

First detailed multiwavelength analysis of kiloparsec-scale jets in NGC 2663, including evidence of recollimation on large scales in a low-density environment.

Findings

Jets are highly collimated over 355 kpc

Evidence suggests recollimation due to environmental pressure

Environment is extremely low density

Abstract

We present the discovery of highly-collimated radio jets spanning a total of 355 kpc around the nearby elliptical galaxy NGC 2663, and the possible first detection of recollimation on kiloparsec scales. The small distance to the galaxy (~28.5 Mpc) allows us to resolve portions of the jets to examine their structure. We combine multiwavelength data: radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), and X-ray data from Chandra, Swift and SRG/eROSITA. We present intensity, rotation measure, polarisation, spectral index and X-ray environment maps. Regions of the southern jet show simultaneous narrowing and brightening, which can be interpreted as a signature of the recollimation of the jet by external, environmental pressure, though it is also consistent with an intermittent Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) or complex internal jet structure. X-ray data suggest that the environment is extremely poor; if the jet is indeed recollimating, the large recollimation scale (40 kpc) is consistent with a slow jet in a low-density environment.