Curved plasma jets and mysterious radiation found in clusters of galaxies

An international team of researchers has studied the galaxy cluster Abell 3266 using a powerful radio telescope.

Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder,installed in Western Australia, and the Compact Array X-ray telescope in New Wales. Scientists have discovered in the cluster an unusual relic of a shock wave, curved jets of plasma radiation from the active galactic nucleus and the fossilized remains of a supermassive black hole. 

Image of the galaxy cluster Abell 3266. Image: CSIRO

The cluster contains several active galaxies withsupermassive black holes at their center, emitting massive jets of energy. One of them attracted the attention of scientists. It does not eject large jets of plasma from the center, like all the others; instead, the plasma streams bend in a bizarre line. 

It is like a powerful wind thatdeflects particles. The researchers believe that the change in the direction of the flow is due to the movements of the galaxies. They plan to study in detail the change in the direction of the jets to understand the dynamics of the movement of the entire system.

Curved radiation from the active galactic nucleus. Image: CSIRO

The second object discovered in the same cluster isremnants of a supermassive black hole. It has stopped receiving material from its galaxy, and the radiation that was already emitted by the jets is gradually aging and disappearing, scientists explain.

A relict black hole is a white dot at the bottom of a red halo formed by the remnants of radiation. Photo: CSIRO 

In addition, the remains of a relic were found in Abell 3266shock wave. The researchers believe that it was formed when parts of the cluster passed through each other. Scientists have called it "the wrong way" because it faces away from the center of the cluster.

If it's a shock wave, you might think it curves like an arc around the edge, but this wave is upside down.

Tessa Wernstrom, researcher at the University of Western Australia in an interview with ABC News

Researchers do not fully understand exactly how this wave was formed and why it is located the way it is. They believe that there may be new physics behind this, as yet unknown to us.

Relic shock wave. Photo: CSIRO 

Researchers at the center of a cluster of galaxiesdiscovered a halo of radio emission - a halo. It is formed by colliding galaxies. The ejections are produced by electrons that oscillate due to the turbulence created by the interaction of galaxies, gas and particles packed into the center of the cluster.

Astrophysicists explain that such objects can form in clusters that have recently merged, but they are rare. In total, scientists know a little more than 100 such objects.

The halo of radio emission created by merging galaxies is highlighted with a dotted line. Image: CSIRO 

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