On the relation between mini-halos and AGN feedback in clusters of galaxies

A variety of large-scale diffuse radio structures have been identified in many clusters with the advent of new state-of-the-art facilities in radio astronomy. Among these diffuse radio structures, radio mini-halos are found in the central regions of cool core clusters. Their origin is still unknown and they are challenging to discover; less than 30 have been published to date. Based on new VLA observations, we confirmed the mini-halo in the massive strong cool core cluster PKS 0745-191 (z = 0.1028) and discovered one in the massive cool core cluster MACS J1447.4+0827 (z = 0.3755). Furthermore, using a detailed analysis of all known mini-halos, we explore the relation between mini-halos and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback processes from the central galaxy. We find evidence of strong, previously unknown correlations between mini-halo radio power and X-ray cavity power, and between mini-halo and the central galaxy radio power related to the relativistic jets when spectrally decomposing the AGN radio emission into a component for past outbursts and one for ongoing accretion. Overall, our study indicates that mini-halos are directly connected to the central AGN in clusters, following previous suppositions. We hypothesize that AGN feedback may be one of the dominant mechanisms giving rise to mini-halos by injecting energy into the intra-cluster medium and reaccelerating an old population of particles, while sloshing motion may drive the overall shape of mini-halos inside cold fronts. AGN feedback may therefore not only play a vital role in offsetting cooling in cool core clusters, but may also play a fundamental role in re-energizing non-thermal particles in clusters.