Extreme AGN feedback in the MAssive Cluster Survey: a detailed study of X-ray cavities at z>0.3

  1. J. Hlavacek-Larrondo1,*,
  2. A. C. Fabian1,
  3. A. C. Edge2,
  4. H. Ebeling3,
  5. J. S. Sanders1,
  6. M. T. Hogan2,
  7. G. B. Taylor4,5

Article first published online: 6 FEB 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20405.x

Issue

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume 421, Issue 2, pages 1360–1384, April 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Hlavacek-Larrondo, J., Fabian, A. C., Edge, A. C., Ebeling, H., Sanders, J. S., Hogan, M. T. and Taylor, G. B. (2012), Extreme AGN feedback in the MAssive Cluster Survey: a detailed study of X-ray cavities at z>0.3. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 421: 1360–1384. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20405.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA

  2. 2

    Institute of Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE

  3. 3

    Institute of Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

  4. 4

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA

  5. 5

    National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, NM 87801, USA

* E-mail: juliehl@ast.cam.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 MAR 2012
  2. Article first published online: 6 FEB 2012
  3. Accepted 2011 December 16. Received 2011 December 1; in original form 2011 September 27

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Keywords:

  • galaxies: clusters: intracluster medium;
  • galaxies: evolution;
  • galaxies: jets;
  • X-rays: galaxies: clusters

ABSTRACT

We present the first statistical study of X-ray cavities in distant clusters of galaxies (z > 0.3). With the aim of providing further insight into how active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback operates at higher redshift, we have analysed the Chandra X-ray observations of the MAssive Cluster Survey (MACS) and searched for surface brightness depressions associated with the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG). The MACS sample consists of the most X-ray luminous clusters within 0.3 ≤z≤ 0.7 (median LX, RASS= 7 × 1044 erg s−1), and out of 76 clusters, we find 13 with ‘clear’ cavities and seven with ‘potential’ cavities (detection rate ∼25 per cent). Most of the clusters in which we find cavities have a short central cooling time below 3–5 Gyr, consistent with the idea that cavities sit predominantly in cool core clusters. We also find no evidence for evolution in any of the cavity properties with redshift, up to z∼ 0.6. The cavities of powerful outbursts are not larger (or smaller) at higher redshift, and are not able to rise to further (or lesser) distances from the nucleus. The energetics of these outbursts also remain the same. This suggests that extreme ‘radio mode’ feedback (Lmech > 1044 erg s−1) starts to operate as early as 7–8 Gyr after the big bang and shows no sign of evolution since then. In other words, AGNs lying at the centre of clusters are able to operate at early times with extreme mechanical powers, and have been operating in such a way for at least the past 5 Gyr.

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