Inverse Compton emission from the lobes of 3C 353

Abstract

X-ray emission due to inverse-Compton scattering of microwave background photons by electrons in the lobes of powerful radio galaxies has now been seen in a large number of objects. Combining an inverse-Compton model for the lobe X-ray emission with information obtained from radio synchrotron emission provides a method of constraining the electron population and magnetic field energy density, which cannot be ac complished using the radio data alone. Using six frequencies of new and archival radio data and new XMM-Newtonobservations of the Fanaroff & Riley class II radio galaxy 3C 353, we show that inverse-Compton emission is detected in the radio lobes of this source at a lev el consistent with what is seen in other objects. We argue that variations in the X-ray/radi o ratio in the brighter eastern lobe require positionally varying magnetic field strength. We al so examine the X-ray nucleus and the cluster, Zw 1819.1-0108, spatially and spectrally.