Hybrid Morphology Radio Sources Research Articles

The Host Galaxies of Hybrid Morphology Radio Sources

Based on their differing radio morphologies, powerful radio galaxies can be separated into the Fanaroff–Riley I (FR I) and II (FR II) classes. Hybrid morphology radio sources (HyMoRS) contain morphologies consistent with each type of jet on either side: a powerful, highly relativistic FR I–like jet terminating in a hotspot on one side and an FR I–like plume on the other. HyMoRS present a unique opportunity to study the conditions that give rise to the dichotomy. Using host galaxy properties, we conduct the first multiwavelength investigation into whether orientation can explain HyMoRS morphology. Through optical spectroscopy and mid-infrared photometry, we analyze the emission characteristics, and evaluate the broad characteristics of five HyMoRS host galaxies at intermediate redshifts (0.4 < z < 1.5). The HyMoRS host galaxies in our sample have properties consistent with typical host galaxies of FR II sources, suggesting that the observed hybrid morphologies may be caused by a dense, cluster-like environment bending FR II jets combined with a favorable orientation that can make one side appear similar to an FR I jet. Our results thus support the hypothesis that HyMoRS are mainly caused by environment and orientation.

X-Ray Emission from the Jets and Lobes of the Spiderweb

Abstract Deep Chandra and Very Large Array imaging reveals a clear correlation between X-ray and radio emission on scales ∼100 kpc in the Spiderweb radio galaxy at z = 2.16. The X-ray emission associated with the extended radio source is likely dominated by inverse Compton upscattering of cosmic microwave background photons by the radio-emitting relativistic electrons. For regions dominated by high surface brightness emission, such as hot spots and jet knots, the implied magnetic fields are ∼50–70 μG. The nonthermal pressure in these brighter regions is then ∼9 × 10−10 dynes cm−2, or three times larger than the nonthermal pressure derived assuming minimum energy conditions, and an order of magnitude larger than the thermal pressure in the ambient cluster medium. Assuming ram pressure confinement implies an average advance speed for the radio source of ∼2400 km s−1 and a source age of ∼3 × 107 yr. Considering the lower surface brightness, diffuse radio-emitting regions, we identify an evacuated cavity in the Lyα emission coincident with the tail of the eastern radio lobe. Making reasonable assumptions for the radio spectrum, we find that the relativistic electrons and fields in the lobe are plausibly in pressure equilibrium with the thermal gas and close to a minimum energy configuration. The radio morphology suggests that the Spiderweb is a high-z example of the rare class of hybrid morphology radio sources (or HyMoRS), which we attribute to interaction with the asymmetric gaseous environment indicated by the Lyα emission.

Unveiling the cause of hybrid morphology radio sources (HyMoRS)

ABSTRACT Hybrid morphology radio sources (HyMoRS) are a rare group of radio galaxies in which differing Fanaroff &amp; Riley morphologies (FR I/II) are observed for each of the two lobes. While they potentially provide insights into the formation of lobe structure, particle acceleration, and the FR dichotomy, previous work on HyMoRS has mainly been limited to low-resolution studies, searches for new candidates, and milliarcsecond-scale VLBI observations of the core region. In this paper, we use new multi-array configuration Very Large Array (VLA) observations between 1 and 8 GHz to determine the morphology of HyMoRS on arcsecond scales and perform the first well-resolved spectral study of these unusual sources. We find that while the apparent FR I lobe is centre brightened, this is the result of a compact acceleration region resembling a hotspot with a spectrum more consistent with an FR II (‘strong-flavour’) jet. We find that the spectra of the apparent FR I lobes are not similar to their classical counterparts and are likely the result of line-of-sight mixing of plasma across a range of spectral ages. We consider possible mechanisms that could lead to the formation of HyMoRS under such conditions, including environment asymmetry and restarted sources, concluding through the use of simple modelling that HyMoRS are the result of orientation effects on intrinsically FR II sources with lobes non-parallel to the inner jet.

Multifrequency study of a new Hybrid Morphology Radio Source

Hybrid Morphology Radio Sources (HyMoRS) are a class of radio galaxies having the lobe morphology of a Fanaroff-Riley (FR) type I on one side of the active nucleus and of a FR type II on the other. The origin of the different morphologies between FR I and FR II sources has been widely discussed in the past 40 years, and HyMoRS may be the best way to understand whether this dichotomy is related to the intrinsic nature of the source and/or to its environment. However, these sources are extremely rare (<1% of radio galaxies) and only for a few of them a detailed radio study, that goes beyond the morphological classification, has been conducted. In this paper we report the discovery of one new HyMoRS; we present X-ray and multi-frequency radio observations. We discuss the source morphological, spectral and polarisation properties and confirm that HyMoRS are intrinsically bimodal with respect to these observational characteristics. We notice that HyMoRS classification based just on morphological properties of the source is hazardous.

Radio Galaxy Zoo: host galaxies and radio morphologies derived from visual inspection

We present results from the first twelve months of operation of Radio Galaxy Zoo, which upon completion will enable visual inspection of over 170,000 radio sources to determine the host galaxy of the radio emission and the radio morphology. Radio Galaxy Zoo uses $1.4\,$GHz radio images from both the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters (FIRST) and the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) in combination with mid-infrared images at $3.4\,\mu$m from the {\it Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer} (WISE) and at $3.6\,\mu$m from the {\it Spitzer Space Telescope}. We present the early analysis of the WISE mid-infrared colours of the host galaxies. For images in which there is $>\,75\%$ consensus among the Radio Galaxy Zoo cross-identifications, the project participants are as effective as the science experts at identifying the host galaxies. The majority of the identified host galaxies reside in the mid-infrared colour space dominated by elliptical galaxies, quasi-stellar objects (QSOs), and luminous infrared radio galaxies (LIRGs). We also find a distinct population of Radio Galaxy Zoo host galaxies residing in a redder mid-infrared colour space consisting of star-forming galaxies and/or dust-enhanced non star-forming galaxies consistent with a scenario of merger-driven active galactic nuclei (AGN) formation. The completion of the full Radio Galaxy Zoo project will measure the relative populations of these hosts as a function of radio morphology and power while providing an avenue for the identification of rare and extreme radio structures. Currently, we are investigating candidates for radio galaxies with extreme morphologies, such as giant radio galaxies, late-type host galaxies with extended radio emission, and hybrid morphology radio sources.

Orientation of the cores of hybrid morphology radio sources

The FRI/FRII dichotomy is a much debated issue in the astrophysics of extragalactic radio sources. Study of the properties of HYbrid MOrphology Radio Sources (HYMORS) may bring crucial information and lead to a step forward in understanding the origin of FRI/FRII dichotomy. HYMORS are a rare class of double-lobed radio sources where each of the two lobes clearly exhibits a different FR morphology. This article describes follow-up high resolution VLBA observations of the five discovered by us HYMORS. The main aim of the observations was to answer the questions of whether the unusual radio morphology is connected to the orientation of objects towards the observer. We obtained the high resolution radio maps of five hybrid radio morphology objects with the VLBA at C-band and L-band. Two of them revealed milliarcsecond core-jet structures, the next two objects showed hints of parsec-scale jets, and the last one remained point-like at both frequencies. We compared properties of observed milliarcsecond structures of hybrid sources with the larger scale ones previously detected with the VLA. We find that on both scales the fluxes of their central components are similar, which may indicate the lack of additional emission in the proximity of the nucleus. This suggests that jets present on the 1-10 kpc scale in those objects are FRII-like. When possible, the detected core-jet structures were used for estimating the core's spatial orientation. The result is that neither the FRI-like nor the FRII-like side is preferred, which may suggest that no specific spatial orientation of HYMORS is required to explain their radio morphology. Their estimated viewing angles indicate they are unbeamed objects. The 178 MHz luminosity of observed HYMORS exceed the traditional FRI/FRII break luminosity, indicating they have radio powers similar to FRIIs.

CHANDRAOBSERVATIONS OF THE HYBRID MORPHOLOGY RADIO SOURCES 3C 433 AND 4C 65.15: FR IIs WITH ASYMMETRIC ENVIRONMENTS

We present Chandra observations of the hybrid morphology radio sources 3C 433 and 4C 65.15, two members of the rare class of objects possessing an FR I jet on one side of the core and an FR II lobe on the other. The X-ray spectrum of 3C 433 shows intrinsic absorption (with a column density of N_H=8e22 cm-2), such as is typical of FR II narrow-line radio galaxies. There is excess X-ray emission below 2 keV containing contributions from diffuse soft X-ray emission (likely hot gas with kT~1.2 keV) as well as from the nucleus. The core of 3C 433 is extended in hard X-rays, presumably due to X-ray emission from the inner-jet knot on the FR I side that is apparent in the radio map. It is possible that the X-ray emission from this inner-jet knot is absorbed by the dust known to be present in the host galaxy. The spectrum of 4C 65.15 can be modeled with a simple power law with perhaps mild intrinsic absorption (N_H=1.3e21 cm-2). X-ray emission is detected at the bend in the FR I jet. This X-ray jet emission lies above the extrapolation from the high-frequency radio synchrotron emission and has a spectral slope flatter than alpha_rx, indicating that the jet spectral energy distribution is concave as with other FR II quasar jets. Both 3C 433 and 4C 65.15 have unabsorbed X-ray luminosities, radio luminosities, and optical spectra typically seen in comparable sources with FR II morphologies. Presumably the FR I structure seen on one side in these hybrid sources is generated by a powerful jet interacting with a relatively dense environment.

Hybrid morphology radio sources from the FIRST survey

The so-called HYbrid MOrphology Radio Sources (HYMORS) are a class of objects that appear to have a mixed Fanaroff-Riley (FR) morphology in a single object; i.e. a HYMORS has an FR I-type lobe on one side of its nucleus and an FR II-type lobe on the other side. Because of this unique feature and given that the origin of the FR morphological dichotomy is still unclear, HYMORS may possibly play a crucial role in our understanding of the FR-dichotomy. As the number of known HYMORS is quite small, we aimed to increase that number by inspecting a few areas of the sky covered by the VLA FIRST survey and by selecting 21 HYMORS candidates based on the morphology shown in the FIRST images. They were observed with the VLA in B-conf. at 4.9 GHz. Three objects from the initial sample turned out to be actual HYMORS and two others very likely to fulfill the criteria. These five were subsequently re-observed with the VLA in A-conf. at 1.4 GHz. Our results provide strong support to the findings ofGopal-Krishna & Wiita (2000, AA consequently, the existence of FR-dichotomy as a whole is difficult to reconcile with the class of explanations that posit fundamental differences in the central engine.

Hybrid morphology radio sources and the Fanaroff–Riley dichotomy

We highlight a group of peculiar double radio sources we christen HYMORS: HYbrid MOrphology Radio Sources. These HYMORS appear to have an FR I type radio lobe on one side of the active nucleus but an FR II type lobe on the opposite side. Such objects range in size from ∼0.01 Mpc to ∼1 Mpc. The mere existence of these hybrid sources causes severe difficulties for models which attribute the differences between FR I and FR II radio sources to some intrinsic property of the compact central engine, or the composition of the jet plasma. HYMORS support models for the FR dichotomy based upon the interaction of the jet plasma with the ambient medium, in that asymmetries in the external environment could more naturally produce the observed hybrid morphologies.