THE CHANDRA VIEW OF NEARBY X-SHAPED RADIO GALAXIES

We present new and archival Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of X-shaped radio galaxies (XRGs) within z {approx} 0.1 alongside a comparison sample of normal double-lobed FR I and II radio galaxies. By fitting elliptical distributions to the observed diffuse hot X-ray emitting atmospheres (eith...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2010-02, Vol.710 (2), p.1205-1227
Main Authors: HODGES-KLUCK, Edmund J, REYNOLDS, Christopher S, CHEUNG, Chi C, MILLER, M. Coleman
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ATMOSPHERES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
Earth, ocean, space
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
Exact sciences and technology
GALAXIES
GEOMETRY
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MATHEMATICS
MORPHOLOGY
RADIATIONS
RADIO GALAXIES
X RADIATION
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Summary:We present new and archival Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of X-shaped radio galaxies (XRGs) within z {approx} 0.1 alongside a comparison sample of normal double-lobed FR I and II radio galaxies. By fitting elliptical distributions to the observed diffuse hot X-ray emitting atmospheres (either the interstellar or intragroup medium), we find that the ellipticity and the position angle of the hot gas follow that of the stellar light distribution for radio galaxy hosts in general. Moreover, compared to the control sample, we find a strong tendency for X-shaped morphology to be associated with wings directed along the minor axis of the hot gas distribution. Taken at face value, this result favors the hydrodynamic backflow models for the formation of XRGs which naturally explain the geometry; the merger-induced rapid reorientation models make no obvious prediction about orientation.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/710/2/1205