The Multi-Epoch Jet Outbursts in Abell 496: synchrotron ageing and buoyant X-ray cavities draped by warm gas filaments

TL;DR

This study investigates the complex history of jet activity and cavity formation in galaxy cluster Abell 496 through multi-wavelength observations, revealing multiple episodes of AGN activity, buoyant cavities, and interactions with warm gas filaments.

Contribution

It provides a detailed multi-epoch analysis of jet outbursts, cavity evolution, and gas cooling in Abell 496, highlighting the interplay between radio jets, X-ray cavities, and warm filaments.

Findings

Three distinct jet activity episodes identified with different spectral properties.

Two generations of X-ray cavities excavated by past jet episodes.

Warm filaments aligned with cavities, indicating interaction with cooling gas.

Abstract

The galaxy cluster Abell 496 has been extensively studied in the past for the clear sloshing motion of the hot gas on large scales, but the interplay between the central radio galaxy and the surrounding cluster atmosphere is mostly unexplored. We present a dedicated radio, X-ray, and optical study of Abell 496 aimed at investigating this connection. We use deep radio images obtained with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope at 150, 330 and 617 MHz, Very Large Array at 1.4 and 4.8 GHz, and VLA Low Band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment at 340 MHz, with angular resolutions ranging from 0.''5 to 25''. Additionally, we use archival Chandra and Very Large Telescope MUSE observations. The radio images reveal three distinct periods of jet activity: an ongoing episode on sub-kpc scales with an inverted radio spectrum; an older episode that produced lobes on scales $\sim$20 kpc which now have a steep spectral index ($\alpha = 2.0 \pm 0.1$); and an oldest episode that produced lobes on scales of $\sim$50 - 100 kpc with an ultra-steep spectrum ($\alpha = 2.7 \pm 0.2$). Archival Chandra X-ray observations show that the older and oldest episodes have excavated two generations of cavities in the hot gas of the cluster. The outermost X-ray cavity has a clear mushroom-head shape, likely caused by its buoyant rise in the cluster's potential. Cooling of the hot gas is ongoing in the innermost 20 kpc, where H$\alpha$-bright warm filaments are visible in VLT-MUSE data. The H$\alpha$-filaments are stretched towards the mushroom-head cavity, which may have stimulated ICM cooling in its wake. We conclude by commenting on the non-detection of a radio mini-halo in this vigorously sloshing, but low-mass, galaxy cluster.