Discovery of a large-scale bent radio jet in the merging cluster Abell 514

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a large-scale bent radio jet in the merging galaxy cluster Abell 514, revealing how merger-driven gas motions can redistribute old AGN plasma and potentially lead to radio relic formation.

Contribution

The study presents the first detailed observation of a large-scale bent radio jet in Abell 514 and demonstrates how merger dynamics influence radio plasma distribution and re-acceleration.

Findings

The radio jet extends up to 0.7 Mpc with distinct morphological features.

The bridge shows 60% polarized emission coinciding with an X-ray cold front.

Simulations suggest merger motions can create and re-accelerate cosmic-ray electrons in cluster outskirts.

Abstract

We report a discovery of a large-scale bent radio jet in the merging galaxy cluster Abell 514 ($z = 0.071$). The radio emission originates from the two radio lobes of the AGN located near the center of the southern subcluster and extends towards the southern outskirts with multiple bends. Its peculiar morphology is characterized by a $400$-kpc ``bridge'', a $300$-kpc ``arc'', and a $400$-kpc ``tail'', which together contribute to its largest linear size of $\sim0.7$ Mpc. We find that both the flux and spectral features of the emission change with the distance from the AGN. Also, the ``bridge'' presents a $60\%$ polarized radio emission, which coincided with an X-ray cold front. Based on our multi-wavelength observations, we propose that A514 presents a clear case for the redistribution of an old AGN plasma due to merger-driven gas motions. We support our interpretation with idealized cluster merger simulations employing a passive tracer field to represent cosmic-ray electrons and find that merger-driven motions can efficiently create a cloud of these particles in the cluster outskirts, which later can be re-accelerated by the cluster merger shock and produce radio relics.