Giant radio galaxies, which extend to more than 1 Mpc in size, pose a difficultphysical problem. The radio lobes that they generate must span regions of verydifferent gas density and pressure, and yet they maintain relatively uniformwidths over their entire structures. This is difficult to achieve unless thelobes are propagating through a medium which is more extended, and more uniform,than the gas in a cluster of galaxies. We propose to use XMM to image acarefully-chosen set of four giant radio galaxies to detect X-ray emission fromthis external gas, and so characterise this unusual, and potentiallycosmologically-important, medium.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2003-03-26T09:21:45Z/2003-03-26T21:33:43Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Prof Mark Birkinshaw, 2004, 'Confining the lobes of giant radio galaxies', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-v4eca84
