Radio emission from a massive node of the cosmic web. A discovery powered by machine learning

TL;DR

This study reports the discovery of large-scale diffuse radio emission around a galaxy cluster, revealing complex structures in the cosmic web through advanced machine learning and multi-wavelength analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a novel machine learning approach for detecting diffuse radio emission and applies it to uncover a massive node in the cosmic web with supporting multi-wavelength data.

Findings

Discovery of 5 Mpc scale radio emission aligned with X-ray and galaxy distribution

Identification of two low-mass systems possibly merging into a cosmic web node

Support for complex mass distribution from weak lensing analysis

Abstract

Aims. We aim to understand the nature of the diffuse radio emission surrounding the massive galaxy cluster PSZ2 G083.29-31.03, at z=0.412, already known to host a radio halo. Our investigation was triggered by Radio U-Net, a novel machine learning algorithm for detecting diffuse radio emission, which was previously applied to the LOFAR Two Meter Sky Survey (LoTSS). Methods. We re-processed LoTSS (120-168 MHz) data and analyzed archival XMM-Newton (0.7-1.2 keV) observations. We also analyzed optical and near-infrared data from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys and asses the mass distribution with weak-lensing analysis based on archival Subaru Suprime-Cam and CFHT MegaPrime/MegaCam observations. Results. We report the discovery of large-scale diffuse radio emission around PSZ2 G083.29-31.03, with a projected largest linear size of 5 Mpc at 144 MHz. The radio emission is aligned with the thermal X-ray emission and the distribution of galaxies, unveiling the presence of two low-mass systems, at similar redshifts on either side of the central cluster. The weak lensing analysis supports this scenario, demonstrating the presence of an extended and complex mass distribution. Conclusions. We propose to interpret the two faint radio sources as connected to the central cluster, thus illuminating the presence of two substructures merging into a massive node of the cosmic web. However, because of uncertainties in redshift and mass estimates, combined with the low resolution required to detect these sources, the classification of the two sources as independent radio halos associated with nearby low-mass clusters or even as a mixture of different types of diffuse radio emission cannot be definitively ruled out.