The properties of magnetised cold filaments in a cool-core galaxy cluster

TL;DR

This study uses advanced 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulations to explore the formation, structure, and impact of cold filaments in cool-core galaxy clusters, highlighting the crucial role of magnetic fields.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the complex, magnetically supported sub-structures of cold filaments and their diverse formation pathways in galaxy clusters.

Findings

Magnetic fields suppress massive cold disc formation.

Filaments contain complex, magnetically supported sub-structures.

Cold filaments influence AGN jet propagation and bubble inflation.

Abstract

Filaments of cold gas ($T\leq 10^{4}$ K) are found in the inner regions of many cool-core clusters. These structures are thought to play a major role in the regulation of feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN). We study the morphology of the filaments, their formation, and their impact on the propagation of the outflowing AGN jets. We present a set of GPU-accelerated 3D (magneto)hydrodynamical simulations of an idealized Perseus-like cluster using the performance portable code AthenaPK. We include radiative cooling, and a self-regulated AGN feedback model that redistributes accreted material through kinetic, thermal and magnetic feedback. We confirm that magnetic fields play an important role in both the formation and evolution of the cold material. These suppress the formation of massive cold discs and favour magnetically supported filaments over clumpy structures. Achieving resolutions of $25-50$ pc, we find that filaments are not monolithic as they contain numerous and complex magnetically supported sub-structures. We find that the mass distribution of these clumps follows a $\mathrm{d}N/\mathrm{d}M \propto M^{-1.6}$ power-law for all investigated filaments. Studying the evolution of individual filaments, we find that their formation pathways can be diverse. We find examples of filaments forming through a combination of gas uplifting and condensation, as well as systems of purely infalling clumps condensing out of the intracluster medium. The density contrast between the cold gas and the outflowing hot material leads to recurring deflections of the jets, favouring inflation of bubbles.