A New Enigmatic Radio Relic in the Low-mass Cluster Abell 2108
Abstract
We report the discovery of a radio relic in the north-eastern periphery of the galaxy cluster Abell 2108 (A2108). A2108 is part of the uGMRT LOw-MAss Galaxy Cluster Survey (GLOMACS), where our main aim is to search for diffuse radio emission signatures in very sparsely explored low-mass galaxy clusters using uGMRT band-3 (central frequency 400 MHz). We used our uGMRT band-3 observations along with the existing archival band-3 uGMRT data to improve image sensitivity. Along with the previously reported south-western relic, the discovery of the new relic makes A2108 one of the few low-mass clusters hosting a double relic. The new relic spans over a region of 610 kpc × 310 kpc and, interestingly, differs considerably in size and morphology from the other relic. Using XMM-Newton science archive data, we also report the tentative detection of a mildly supersonic shock of Mach number $\mathcal {M}_\mathrm{SB}=1.42$ and $\mathcal {M}_\mathrm{T} = 1.43$ from the surface brightness and temperature discontinuities, respectively, near this newly found relic. Both the relics in A2108 are found to be significantly under-luminous compared with other double-relic systems in the mass-luminosity plane. Moreover, the north-eastern relic is remarkably under-luminous in the size-luminosity plane. Although mild supersonic shocks resulting from an off-axis merger could have influenced the origin of both relics, we hypothesize that local environments have played a crucial role in shaping their morphologies.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- February 2024
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/stad3865
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2312.04170
- Bibcode:
- 2024MNRAS.52710986C
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: clusters: general;
- galaxies: clusters: individual: Abell 2108 or A2108;
- galaxies: clusters: intracluster medium;
- radio continuum: general;
- X-rays: galaxies: clusters;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS