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Galaxy clusters have been found to host a range of diffuse, non-thermal emission components, generally with steep, power law spectra. In this work we report on the detection and follow-up of radio halos, relics, remnant radio galaxies, and other fossil radio plasmas in Southern Sky galaxy clusters using the Murchison Widefield Array and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder. We make use of the frequency coverage between the two radio interferometers - from 88 to $\sim 900$ MHz - to characterise the integrated spectra of these sources within this frequency range. Highlights from the sample include the detection of a double relic system in Abell 3186, a mini-halo in RXC J0137.2-0912, a candidate halo and relic in Abell 3399, and a complex multi-episodic head-tail radio galaxy in Abell 3164. We compare this selection of sources and candidates to the literature sample, finding sources consistent with established radio power-cluster mass scaling relations. Finally, we use the low-frequency integrated spectral index, $\alpha$ ($S_\nu \propto \nu^\alpha$), of the detected sample of cluster remnants and fossil sources to compare with samples of known halos, relics, remnants and fossils to investigate a possible link between their electron populations. We find the distributions of $\alpha$ to be consistent with relic and halo emission generated by seed electrons that originated in fossil or remnant sources. However, the present sample sizes are insufficient to rule out other scenarios., Comment: 30 pages, 108 individual PDF figures. Accepted for publication in PASA. Images and catalogue available at https://dx.doi.org/10.26185/611f33b774e96

Using Chandra observations, we derive the $Y_{\rm X}$ proxy and associated total mass measurement, $M_{500}^{\rm Y_X}$, for 147 clusters with $z \leq 0.35$ from the Planck Early Sunyaev-Zel'dovich catalog, and for 80 clusters with $z \leq 0.30$ from an X-ray flux-limited sample. We re-extract the Planck $Y_{\rm SZ}$ measurements and obtain the corresponding mass proxy, $M_{500}^{\rm SZ}$, from the full Planck mission maps, minimizing the Malmquist bias due to observational scatter. The masses re-extracted using the more precise X-ray position and characteristic size agree with the published PSZ2 values, but yield a significant reduction in the scatter (by a factor of two) in the $M_{500}^{\rm SZ}$-$M_{500}^{\rm X}$ relation. The slope is $0.93\pm0.03$, and the median ratio, $M_{500}^{\rm SZ}/M_{500}^{\rm X}= 0.91\pm0.01$, is within the expectations from known X-ray calibration systematics. The $Y_{\rm SZ}/Y_{\rm X}$ ratio is $0.88\pm0.02$, in good agreement with predictions from cluster structure, and implying a low level of clumpiness. In agreement with the findings of the Planck Collaboration, the slope of the $Y_{\rm SZ}$-$D_{\rm A}^{-2} Y_{X}$ flux relation is significantly less than unity ($0.89\pm0.01$). Using extensive simulations, we show that this result is not due to selection effects, intrinsic scatter, or covariance between quantities. We demonstrate analytically that changing the $Y_{\rm SZ}$-$Y_{X}$ relation from apparent flux to intrinsic properties results in a best-fit slope that is closer to unity and increases the dispersion about the relation. The redistribution resulting from this transformation implies that the best fit parameters of the $M_{500}^{\rm SZ}$-$M_{500}^{\rm X}$ relation will be sample-dependent., Comment: 28 pages, 15 figures, and 6 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

We report on the discovery of a mysterious ultra-steep spectrum (USS) synchrotron source in the galaxy cluster Abell 2877. We have observed the source with the Murchison Widefield Array at five frequencies across 72-231 MHz and have found the source to exhibit strong spectral curvature over this range as well the steepest known spectra of a synchrotron cluster source, with a spectral index across the central three frequency bands of $\alpha = -5.97^{+0.40}_{-0.48}$. Higher frequency radio observations, including a deep observation with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, fail to detect any of the extended diffuse emission. The source is approximately 370 kpc wide and bears an uncanny resemblance to a jellyfish with two peaks of emission and long tentacles descending south towards the cluster centre. Whilst the `USS Jellyfish' defies easy classification, we here propose that the phenomenon is caused by the reacceleration and compression of multiple aged electron populations from historic active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity, so-called `radio phoenix', by an as yet undetected weak cluster-scale mechanism. The USS Jellyfish adds to a growing number of radio phoenix in cool-core clusters with unknown reacceleration mechanisms; as the first example of a polyphoenix, however, this implies the mechanism is on the scale of the cluster itself. Indeed, we show that in simulations, emission akin to the USS Jellyfish can be produced as a short-lived, transient phase in the evolution of multiple interacting AGN remnants when subject to weak external shocks., Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

Our understanding of the background of the EPIC/pn camera onboard XMM-Newton is incomplete. This affects the study of extended sources and can influence the predictions of the background of future X-ray missions. We provide new results based on the analysis of the largest data set ever used. We focus on the unconcentrated component of the EPIC/pn background - supposedly related to cosmic rays interacting with the telescope. We find that the out-field of view region of the pn detector is actually exposed to the sky. After cleaning from the sky contamination, the unconcentrated background does not show significant spatial variations and its time behaviour is anti-correlated with the solar cycle. We find a very tight, linear correlation between unconcentrated backgrounds detected in the EPIC/pn and MOS2 cameras: this permits the correct evaluation of the pn unconcentrated background of each exposure on the basis of MOS2 data, avoiding the use (as usual) of the contaminated pn regions. We find a tight, linear correlation between the pn unconcentrated background and the proton flux in the 630-970 MeV energy band measured by SOHO/EPHIN. Through this relationship we quantify the contribution of cosmic ray interactions to the pn unconcentrated background and we find a second source which contributes to the pn unconcentrated background for a significant fraction (30%-70%), that does not vary with time and is roughly isotropic. Hard X-ray photons of the CXB satisfy all the known properties of this new component. Our findings provide an important observational confirmation of simulation results on ATHENA., Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, 2 tables; accepted by the Astrophysical Journal

The Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton - Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation (CHEX-MATE) is a three mega-second Multi-Year Heritage Programme to obtain X-ray observations of a minimally-biased, signal-to-noise limited sample of 118 galaxy clusters detected by Planck through the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect. The programme, described in detail in this paper, aims to study the ultimate products of structure formation in time and mass. It is composed of a census of the most recent objects to have formed (Tier-1: 0.05 < z < 0.2; 2 x 10e14 M_sun < M_500 < 9 x 10e14 M_sun), together with a sample of the highest-mass objects in the Universe (Tier-2: z < 0.6; M_500 > 7.25 x 10e14 M_sun). The programme will yield an accurate vision of the statistical properties of the underlying population, measure how the gas properties are shaped by collapse into the dark matter halo, uncover the provenance of non-gravitational heating, and resolve the major uncertainties in mass determination that limit the use of clusters for cosmological parameter estimation. We will acquire X-ray exposures of uniform depth, designed to obtain individual mass measurements accurate to 15-20% under the hydrostatic assumption. We present the project motivations, describe the programme definition, and detail the ongoing multi-wavelength observational (lensing, SZ, radio) and theoretical effort that is being deployed in support of the project., Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures; A&A, in press

High-resolution mapping of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) up to high redshift and down to low masses is crucial to derive accurate mass estimates of the galaxy cluster and to understand the systematic effects affecting cosmological studies based on galaxy clusters. We present a spatially-resolved Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ)/X-ray analysis of ACT-CL J0215.4+0030, a high redshift ($z=0.865$) galaxy cluster of intermediate mass ($M_{500}\simeq3.5\times10^{14}\;\mathrm{M_\odot}$) observed as part of the ongoing NIKA2 SZ Large Program, a follow up of a representative sample of objects at $0.5 \leqslant z \leqslant 0.9$. In addition to the faintness and small angular size induced by its mass and redshift, the cluster is contaminated by point sources that significantly affect the SZ signal. Therefore, this is an interesting case study for the most challenging sources of the NIKA2 cluster sample. We present the NIKA2 observations of this cluster and the resulting data. We reconstruct the ICM pressure profile by performing a joint analysis of the SZ signal and of the point sources in the NIKA2 150 GHz map. We obtain high-quality estimates of the ICM thermodynamical properties with NIKA2. We compare the pressure profile extracted from the NIKA2 map to the pressure profile obtained from X-ray data only by deprojecting XMM-Newton observations of the cluster. We combine the NIKA2 pressure profile with the X-ray deprojected density to extract detailed information on the ICM. The radial distribution of its thermodynamic properties indicate that the cluster has a disturbed core. The hydrostatic mass of the cluster is to be compatible with estimations from SZ and X-rays scaling relations. We conclude that the NIKA2 SZ large program can deliver quality information on the thermodynamics of the ICM even for one of its faintest clusters, after a careful treatment of the contamination by point sources., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

We present a radio and X-ray analysis of the galaxy cluster SPT-CL J2032-5627. Investigation of public data from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) at 943 MHz shows two previously undetected radio relics at either side of the cluster. For both relic sources we utilise archival Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) data at 5.5 GHz in conjunction with the new ASKAP data to determine that both have steep integrated radio spectra ($\alpha_\mathrm{SE} = -1.52 \pm 0.10$ and $\alpha_\mathrm{NW,full} = -1.18 \pm 0.10$ for the southeast and northwest relic sources, respectively). No shock is seen in XMM-Newton observations, however, the southeast relic is preceded by a cold front in the X-ray emitting intra-cluster medium. We suggest the lack of a detectable shock may be due to instrumental limitations, comparing the situation to the southeast relic in Abell 3667. We compare the relics to the population of double relic sources and find they are located below the current power-mass ($P$-$M$) scaling relation. We present an analysis of the low-surface brightness sensitivity of ASKAP and the ATCA, the excellent sensitivity of both allow the ability to find heretofore undetected diffuse sources, suggesting these low-power radio relics will become more prevalent in upcoming large-area radio surveys such as the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU)., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in PASA

We present the first metal abundance profiles for a representative sample of massive clusters. Our measures extend to $R_{500}$ and are corrected for a systematic error plaguing previous outskirt estimates. Our profiles flatten out at large radii, admittedly not a new result, however the radial range and representative nature of our sample extends its import well beyond previous findings. We find no evidence of segregation between cool-core and non-cool-core systems beyond $\sim 0.3 R_{500}$, implying that, as was found for thermodynamic properties (Ghirardini et al, 2019), the physical state of the core does not affect global cluster properties. Our mean abundance within $R_{500}$ shows a very modest scatter, $< $15%, suggesting the enrichment process must be quite similar in all these massive systems. This is a new finding and has significant implications on feedback processes. Together with results from thermodynamic properties presented in a previous X-COP paper, it affords a coherent picture where feedback effects do not vary significantly from one system to another. By combing ICM with stellar measurements we have found the amount of Fe diffused in the ICM to be about ten times higher than that locked in stars. Although our estimates suggest, with some strength, that the measured iron mass in clusters is well in excess of the predicted one, systematic errors prevent us from making a definitive statement. Further advancements will only be possible when systematic uncertainties, principally those associated to stellar masses, both within and beyond $R_{500}$, can be reduced., Comment: 23 pages, 23 figures; submitted to A&A

We present the results of the analysis of the very massive cluster MOO J1142$+$1527 at a redshift $z = 1.2$ based on high angular resolution NIKA2 Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) and $Chandra$ X-ray data. This multi-wavelength analysis enables us to estimate the shape of the temperature profile with unprecedented precision at this redshift and to obtain a map of the gas entropy distribution averaged along the line of sight. The comparison between the cluster morphological properties observed in the NIKA2 and $Chandra$ maps together with the analysis of the entropy map allows us to conclude that MOO J1142$+$1527 is an on-going merger hosting a cool-core at the position of the X-ray peak. This work demonstrates how the addition of spatially-resolved SZ observations to low signal-to-noise X-ray data can bring valuable insights on the intracluster medium thermodynamic properties at $z>1$., Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the international conference entitled mm Universe @ NIKA2, Grenoble (France), June 2019, EPJ Web of conferences

Clusters of galaxies, the largest bound objects in the Universe, constitute a cosmological probe of choice, which is sensitive to both dark matter and dark energy. Within this framework, the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect has opened a new window for the detection of clusters of galaxies and for the characterization of their physical properties such as mass, pressure and temperature. NIKA, a KID-based dual band camera installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope, was particularly well adapted in terms of frequency, angular resolution, field-of-view and sensitivity, for the mapping of the thermal and kinetic SZ effect in high-redshift clusters. In this paper, we present the NIKA cluster sample and a review of the main results obtained via the measurement of the SZ effect on those clusters: reconstruction of the cluster radial pressure profile, mass, temperature and velocity., Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the international conference entitled mm Universe @ NIKA2, Grenoble (France), June 2019, EPJ Web of conferences

The main limiting factor of cosmological analyses based on thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) cluster statistics comes from the bias and systematic uncertainties that affect the estimates of the mass of galaxy clusters. High-angular resolution SZ observations at high redshift are needed to study a potential redshift or morphology dependence of both the mean pressure profile and of the mass-observable scaling relation used in SZ cosmological analyses. The NIKA2 camera is a new generation continuum instrument installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope. With a large field of view, a high angular resolution and a high-sensitivity, the NIKA2 camera has unique SZ mapping capabilities. In this paper, we present the NIKA2 SZ large program, aiming at observing a large sample of clusters at redshifts between 0.5 and 0.9, and the characterization of the first cluster oberved with NIKA2., Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the international conference entitled mm Universe @ NIKA2, Grenoble (France), June 2019, EPJ Web of conferences

High-resolution mapping of the hot gas in galaxy clusters is a key tool for cluster-based cosmological analyses. Taking advantage of the NIKA2 millimeter camera operated at the IRAM 30-m telescope, the NIKA2 SZ Large Program seeks to get a high-resolution follow-up of 45 galaxy clusters covering a wide mass range at high redshift in order to re-calibrate some of the tools needed for the cosmological exploitation of SZ surveys. We present the second cluster analysis of this program, targeting one of the faintest sources of the sample in order to tackle the difficulties in data reduction for such faint, low-SNR clusters. In this study, the main challenge is the precise estimation of the contamination by sub-millimetric point sources, which greatly affects the tSZ map of the cluster. We account for this contamination by performing a joint fit of the SZ signal and of the flux density of the compact sources. A prior knowledge of these fluxes is given by the adjustment of the SED of each source using data from both NIKA2 and the \textit{Herschel} satellite. The first results are very promising and demonstrate the possibility to estimate thermodynamic properties with NIKA2, even in a compact cluster heavily contaminated by point sources., Comment: 7 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the international conference entitled mm Universe @ NIKA2, Grenoble (France), June 2019, EPJ Web of conferences

The characterization of the Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM) properties of high-redshift galaxy clusters is fundamental to our understanding of large-scale structure formation processes. We present the results of a multi-wavelength analysis of the very massive cluster MOO J1142$+$1527 at a redshift $z = 1.2$ discovered as part of the Massive and Distant Clusters of WISE Survey (MaDCoWS). This analysis is based on high angular resolution $Chandra$ X-ray and NIKA2 Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) data. Although the X-ray data have only about 1700 counts, we are able to determine the ICM thermodynamic radial profiles, namely temperature, entropy, and hydrostatic mass. These have been obtained with unprecedented precision at this redshift and up to $0.7R_{500}$, thanks to the combination of high-resolution X-ray and SZ data. The comparison between the galaxy distribution mapped in infrared by $Spitzer$ and the morphological properties of the ICM derived from the combined analysis of the $Chandra$ and NIKA2 data leads us to the conclusion that the cluster is an on-going merger. We measure the hydrostatic mass profile of the cluster in four angular sectors centered on the large-scale X-ray centroid. This allows us to estimate a systematic uncertainty on the cluster total mass that characterizes both the impact of the observed deviations from spherical symmetry and of the core dynamics on the mass profile. We further combine the X-ray and SZ data at the pixel level to obtain maps of the temperature and entropy distributions averaged along the line of sight. We find a relatively low entropy core at the position of the X-ray peak and high temperature regions located on its south and west sides. The increase in ICM temperature at the location of the SZ peak is expected given the merger dynamics. (abridged)

We study the dynamical state and the integrated total mass profiles of 75 massive (M500 > 5 e+14 M_sun) SZ-selected clusters at 0.080.9. Using XMM imaging observations, we characterise the dynamical state with the centroid shift, the concentration, and their combination, M, which simultaneously probes the core and the large scale gas morphology. Using spatially-resolved spectroscopy and assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, we derive the total integrated mass profiles. The mass profile shape is quantified by the sparsity, the ratio of M500 to M2500, the masses at density contrast 500 and 2500, respectively. We study the correlations between the various parameters and their dependence on redshift. We confirm that SZ-selected samples, thought to reflect most closely the underlying cluster population, are dominated by disturbed and non-cool core objects at all z. There is no significant evolution or mass dependence of either the cool core fraction or the centroid shift parameter. The M parameter evolves slightly with z, having a correlation coefficient of rho= -0.2 $\pm$ 0.1 and a null hypothesis p-value of 0.01. In the high mass regime considered here, the sparsity evolves minimally with redshift, increasing by 10% between z<0.2 and z>0.55, an effect significant at less than 2 sigma. In contrast, the dependence of the sparsity on dynamical state is much stronger, increasing by a factor of $\sim$60% from the 1/3 most relaxed to the 1/3 most disturbed objects, an effect significant at more than 3 sigma. This is the first observational evidence that the shape of the integrated total mass profile in massive clusters is principally governed by the dynamical state, and is only mildly dependent on redshift. We discuss the consequences for the comparison between observations and theoretical predictions., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

The VIP2 (VIolation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle) experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS) is searching for possible violations of standard quantum mechanics predictions in atoms at very high sensitivity. We investigate atomic transitions with precision X-ray spectroscopy in order to test the Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) and therefore the related spin-statistics theorem. We will present our experimental method for the search for "anomalous" (i.e. Pauli-forbidden) X-ray transitions in copper atoms, produced by "new" electrons, which could have tiny probability to undergo Pauli-forbidden transition to the ground state already occupied by two electrons. We will describe the VIP2 experimental setup, which is taking data at LNGS presently. The goal of VIP2 is to test the PEP for electrons with unprecedented accuracy, down to a limit in the probability that PEP is violated at the level of 10$^{-31}$. We will present current experimental results and discuss implications of a possible violation., Comment: Proceedings of DICE 2018 Conference

We present a study of the distribution of X-ray detected active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the five most massive, $M_{500}^{SZ}>10^{14} M_{\odot}$ , and distant, z$\sim$1, galaxy clusters in the \textit{Planck} and South Pole Telescope (SPT)\textit{} surveys. The spatial and thermodynamic individual properties of each cluster have been defined with unprecedented accuracy at this redshift using deep X-ray observations. This is an essential property of our sample in order to precisely determine the $R_{500}^{Y_{\textrm x}}$ radius of the clusters. For our purposes, we computed the X-ray point-like source surface density in 0.5$R_{500}^{Y_{\textrm x}}$ wide annuli up to a clustercentric distance of 4$R_{500}^{Y_{\textrm x}}$, statistically subtracting the background and accounting for the respective average density of optical galaxies. We found a significant excess of X-ray point sources between 2 and 2.5$R_{500}^{Y_{\textrm x}}$ at the 99.9\% confidence level. The results clearly display for the first time strong observational evidence of AGN triggering in the outskirts of high-redshift massive clusters with such a high statistical significance. We argue that the particular conditions at this distance from the cluster centre increase the galaxy merging rate, which is probably the dominant mechanism of AGN triggering in the outskirts of massive clusters., Comment: Letter to the editor, accepted in A&A

NIKA2 is a dual-band millimetric camera of thousands of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KID) installed at the IRAM 30-meter telescope in the Spanish Sierra Nevada. The instrument commissioning was completed in September 2017, and NIKA2 is now open to the scientific community and will operate for the next decade. NIKA2 has well-adapted instrumental design and performance to produce high-resolution maps of the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect toward intermediate and high redshift galaxy clusters. Moreover, it benefits from a guaranteed time large program dedicated to mapping a representative sample of galaxy clusters via SZ and that includes X-ray follow-ups. The main expected outputs of the SZ large program are the constraints on the redshift evolution of the pressure profile and the mass-observable relation. The first SZ mapping of a galaxy cluster with NIKA2 was produced, as part of the SZ large program. We found a sizable impact of the intracluster medium dynamics on the integrated SZ observables. This shows NIKA2 capabilities for the precise characterisation of the mass-observable relation that is required for accurate cosmology with galaxy clusters., Comment: 8 pages, proceeding paper of the Cosmology session of the 53rd Rencontres de Moriond conference, typo in an affiliation corrected

The VIP2 experiment tests the Pauli Exclusion Principle with high sensitivity, by searching for Pauli-forbidden atomic transitions from the 2p to the 1s shell in copper at about 8keV. The transition energy of Pauli-forbidden K X-rays is shifted by about 300 eV with respect to the normal allowed K line. This energy difference can be resolved using Silicon Drift Detectors. The data for this experiment is taken in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (LNGS), which provides shielding from cosmic radiation. An overview of the detection system of the VIP2 experiment will be given. This includes the Silicon Drift Detectors used as X-ray detectors which provide an energy resolution of around 150 eV at 6 keV and timing information for active shielding. Furthermore, the low maintenance requirement makes them excellent X-ray detectors for the use in an underground laboratory. The VIP2 setup will be discussed which consists of a high current target system and a passive as well as an active shielding system using plastic scintillators read out by Silicon Photomultipliers.

The VIolation of Pauli exclusion principle -2 experiment, or VIP-2 experiment, at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso searches for x-rays from copper atomic transition that are prohibited by the Pauli Exclusion Principle. Candidate direct violation events come from the transition of a $2p$ electron to the ground state that is already occupied by two electrons. From the first data taking campaign in 2016 of VIP-2 experiment, we determined a best upper limit of 3.4 $\times$ 10$^{-29}$ for the probability that such a violation exists. Significant improvement in the control of the experimental systematics was also achieved, although not explicitly reflected in the improved upper limit. By introducing a simultaneous spectral fit of the signal and background data in the analysis, we succeeded in taking into account systematic errors that could not be evaluated previously in this type of measurements., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, accepted by EPJ C on 12th April 2018

We present a detailed study of the integrated total hydrostatic mass profiles of the five most massive ($M^{\mathrm{SZ}}_{500} > 5 \times 10^{14}$ M$_{\odot}$) galaxy clusters selected at $z\sim1$ via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. These objects represent an ideal laboratory to test structure formation models where the primary driver is gravity. Optimally exploiting spatially-resolved spectroscopic information from XMM-Newton and Chandra observations, we used both parametric (forward, backward) and non-parametric methods to recover the mass profiles, finding that the results are extremely robust when density and temperature measurements are both available. Our X-ray masses at $R_{500}$ are higher than the weak lensing masses obtained from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), with a mean ratio of $1.39^{+0.47}_{-0.35}$. This offset goes in the opposite direction to that expected in a scenario where the hydrostatic method yields a biased, underestimated, mass. We investigated halo shape parameters such as sparsity and concentration, and compared to local X-ray selected clusters, finding hints for evolution in the central regions (or for selection effects). The total baryonic content is in agreement with the cosmic value at $R_{500}$. Comparison with numerical simulations shows that the mass distribution and concentration are in line with expectations. These results illustrate the power of X-ray observations to probe the statistical properties of the gas and total mass profiles in this high-mass, high-redshift regime., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A