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We use new and archival Chandra observations of Cygnus A, totalling ~1.9Ms, to investigate the distribution and temperature structure of gas lying within the projected extent of the cocoon shock and exhibiting a rib-like structure.We confirm that the X-rays are dominated by thermal emission with an average temperature of around 4 keV, and have discovered an asymmetry in the temperature gradient, with the southwestern part of the gas cooler than the rest by up to 2 keV. Pressure estimates suggest that the gas is a coherent structure of single origin located inside the cocoon, with a mass of roughly 2 x 1010Mʘ. We conclude that the gas is debris resulting from disintegration of the cool core of the Cygnus A cluster after the passage of the jet during the early stages of the current epoch of activity. The 4 keV gas now lies on the central inside surface of the hotter cocoon rim. The temperature gradient could result from an offset between the centre of the cluster core and the Cygnus A host galaxy at the switch-on of current radio activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification in the primary hotspot in the north-west jet of radiogalaxy Cygnus A. By using the observed flux density at 43 GHz in a well-resolved region of this hotspot, we determine the minimum value of the jet density and constrain the magnitude of the magnetic field. We find that a jet with density greater than 5 × 10-5 cm-3 and hotspot magnetic field in the range 50-400 μG are required to explain the synchrotron emission at 43 GHz. The upper-energy cut-off in the hotspot synchrotron spectrum is at a frequency ≲5 × 1014 Hz, indicating that the maximum energy of non-thermal electrons accelerated at the jet reverse shock is Ee,max ~ 0.8 TeV in a magnetic field of 100 μG. Based on the condition that the magnetic-turbulence scalelength has to be larger than the plasma skin depth, and that the energy density in non-thermal particles cannot violate the limit imposed by the jet kinetic luminosity, we show that Ee,max cannot be constrained by synchrotron losses as traditionally assumed. In addition to that, and assuming that the shock is quasi-perpendicular, we show that non-resonant hybrid instabilities generated by the streaming of cosmic rays with energy Ee,max can grow fast enough to amplify the jet magnetic field up to 50-400 μG and accelerate particles up to the maximum energy Ee,max observed in the Cygnus A primary hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently published results from VLBI observations at 3 and 7 millimeters of the radio galaxy Cygnus A are reviewed in this article, and discussed within the model of a prominently stratified jet outflow. At the source redshift (z = 0.056), mm-VLBI allows a spatial resolution down to 200 Schwarzschild radii to be achieved, providing an extremely detailed view of the two-sided jet base. Through a study of the kinematic properties of the flow and of its transverse structure, it is shown that the radio emission is produced by an accelerating, mildly relativistic, parabolically expanding disk-wind. The observed transverse stratification, both of the flux density and of the bulk speed, supports the presence of an invisible faster spine close to the jet axis, powered either by the inner regions of the accretion disk or by the spinning black hole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we analyze how the angular momenta (spins) of black holes in the centers of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) affect the shape of the FeK line emitted from their accretion disks. For that purpose, we compared the observed line profile in the case of radio galaxy 3C 405 (Cygnus A) with its profiles, obtained by numerical simulations based on ray-tracing method in the Kerr metric. Our results show that the spins of rotating central black holes of AGN have significant influence on their FeKα line shapes. Also, we found that in the case of Cygnus A the observed line is probably emitted from the innermost region of its slightly inclined accretion disk around very slowly rotating or even stationary central black hole.

Context. Supernova (SN) 1987A was a peculiar hydrogen-rich event with a long-rising (~84 d) light curve, stemming from the explosion of a compact blue supergiant star. Only a few similar events have been presented in the literature in recent decades. Aims. We present new data for a sample of six long-rising Type II SNe (SNe II), three of which were discovered and observed by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) and three observed by the Caltech Core-Collapse Project (CCCP). Our aim is to enlarge this small family of long-rising SNe II, characterizing their differences in terms of progenitor and explosion parameters. We also study the metallicity of their environments. Methods. Optical light curves, spectra, and host-galaxy properties of these SNe are presented and analyzed. Detailed comparisons with known SN 1987A-like events in the literature are shown, with particular emphasis on the absolute magnitudes, colors, expansion velocities, and host-galaxy metallicities. Bolometric properties are derived from the multiband light curves. By modeling the earlytime emission with scaling relations derived from the SuperNova Explosion Code (SNEC) models of MESA progenitor stars, we estimate the progenitor radii of these transients. The modeling of the bolometric light curves also allows us to estimate other progenitor and explosion parameters, such as the ejected 56Ni mass, the explosion energy, and the ejecta mass. Results. We present PTF12kso, a long-rising SN II that is estimated to have the largest amount of ejected 56Ni mass measured for this class. PTF09gpn and PTF12kso are found at the lowest host metallicities observed for this SN group. The variety of early lightcurve luminosities depends on the wide range of progenitor radii of these SNe, from a few tens of R⊙ (SN 2005ci) up to thousands (SN 2004ek) with some intermediate cases between 100 R⊙ (PTF09gpn) and 300 R⊙ (SN 2004em). Conclusions. We confirm that long-rising SNe II with light-curve shapes closely resembling that of SN 1987A generally arise from blue supergiant (BSG) stars. However, some of them, such as SN 2004em, likely have progenitors with larger radii (~300 Ro, typical of yellow supergiants) and can thus be regarded as intermediate cases between normal SNe IIP and SN 1987A-like SNe. Some extended red supergiant (RSG) stars such as the progenitor of SN 2004ek can also produce long-rising SNe II if they synthesized a large amount of 56Ni in the explosion. Low host metallicity is confirmed as a characteristic of the SNe arising from compact BSG stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superfine structure of the bipolar outflow from the radio galaxy Cygnus A has been investigated at a wavelength of 2 cm. The surrounding thermal plasma inflows onto the disk and is transferred in a spiral to the center, with the plasma velocity and temperature increasing to relativistic values. The rotating bipolar outflow carries away an excess angular momentum as it is accumulated. The high-velocity central flow is surrounded by parallel chains of components, the tangential directions of the low-velocity flows. Rotation collimates the flow; ring currents, a longitudinal magnetic field, are generated in it. The size of the high-velocity jet exceeds the size of the counterjet by a factor of 3.5 due to the velocity difference: the acceleration of the flow moving along the field and its decelerationwhenmoving in a direction opposite to the magnetic field of the system. The observed features are typical of objects with active nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phenomenological model for the evolution of classical radio galaxies such as Cygnus A is presented. An activity cycle of the host galaxy in the radio begins with the birth of radio jets, which correspond to shocks on scales ∼1 pc (the radio galaxy B0108+388). In the following stage of the evolution, the radio emission comes predominantly from formations on scales of 10-100 pc, whose physical parameters are close to those of the hot spots of Cygnus A (this corresponds to GHz-peaked spectrum radio sources). Further, the hot spots create radio lobes on scales of 10-10 pc (compact steep-spectrum radio sources). The fully formed radio galaxies have radio jets, hot spots, and giant radio lobes; the direction of the jets can vary in a discrete steps with time, creating new hot spots and inflating the radio lobes (as in Cygnus A). In the final stage of the evolutionary cycle, first the radio jets disappear, then the hot spots, and finally the radio lobes (similar to the giant radio galaxies DA 240 and 3C 236). A large fraction of radio galaxies with repeating activity cycles is observed. The close connection between Cygnus A-type radio galaxies and optical quasars is noted, as well as similarity in the cosmological evolution of powerful radio galaxies and optical quasars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The jets in Faranoff-Riley type II AGN are supposed come to an abrupt halt in hotspots on opposite sides of the nucleus. Quite commonly, two hotspots are observed in each lobe. The origin of the second hotspot is currently poorly understood. Aims. Our aims are to determine the origin of the secondary hotspot in the western lobe of Cygnus A from high resolution multifrequency radio images; to determine the minimum Lorentz factor of the electrons in the hotspots, often referred to as the low-energy turnover; and to study the magnetic field configuration of the hotspots. Methods. We used 151 MHz Merlin and 327 MHz, 1.4, 5, 8, 15, and 43 GHz VLA images to determine the centroid of the peak luminosity, the spectral shape, and polarization fraction of both hotspots in the western lobe of Cygnus A. Results. We find a spatial shift in peak luminosity between the lower and higher frequency images for both hotspots. We determine the minimum Lorentz factor of the electrons to be ~1000, and show that most of the emission from the primary hotspot is linearly polarized. The minimum energy magnetic field strength is found to range between ~0.14 and ~0.5mG in both the primary and secondary hotspots. Conclusions. From the low polarization and the determined outflow velocity, we conclude that the secondary hotspot is no longer a strong shock, and is an expanding, and hence a fading hotspot. This hotspot has an age that is of the same order of magnitude as the jet precession period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Cygnus A, as the nearest powerful FR II radio galaxy, plays an important role in understanding jets and their impact on the surrounding intracluster medium. Aims. We explain why the nucleus is observed superposed onto the eastern lobe rather than in between the two lobes, and why the jet and counterjet are non-colinear. Methods. We made a comparative study of the radio images at different frequencies of Cygnus A, in combination with the published results on the radial velocities in the Cygnus A cluster. Results. From the morphology of the inner lobes we conclude that the lobes are not interacting with one another, but are well separated, even at low radio frequencies. We explain the location of the nucleus as the result of the proper motion of the galaxy through the cluster. The required proper motion is of the same order of magnitude as the radial velocity offset of Cygnus A with the sub-cluster it belongs to. The proper motion of the galaxy through the cluster likely also explains the non-colinearity of the jet and counterjet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cosmic rays, thermal gas and magnetic fields in FRII radio cavities are assumed to come entirely from winds flowing from just behind the jet shocks. Combining analytic and computational methods, it is shown that the computed radio-electron energy distribution and synchrotron emissivity spectra everywhere in the Cygnus A radio cavity agree with radio observations of the Cygnus A lobes. The magnetic field energy density is small everywhere and evolves passively in the post-shock wind. Most synchrotron emission arises in recent post-shock material as it flows back along the radio cavity wall. Because it experienced less adiabatic expansion, the magnetic field in this young backflow is larger than elsewhere in the radio lobe, explaining the observed radio synchrotron limb-brightening. The boundary backflow decelerates due to small cavity pressure gradients, causing large-scale fields perpendicular to the backflow (and synchrotron emission) to grow exponentially unlike observations. However, if the field is random on subgrid (sub-kpc) scales, the computed field reproduces both the magnitude and slowly decreasing radio synchrotron emissivity observed along the backflow. The radio synchrotron spectrum and image computed with a small-scale random field agree with Very Large Array observations. The total relativistic energy density in the post-jet shock region required in computations to inflate the radio cavity matches the energy density of relativistic electrons observed in the post-shock region of Cygnus A. This indicates that the component in the jet and cavity that dominates the dynamical evolution is a relativistic pair plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Irkutsk Incoherent Scattering Radar, it is demonstrated that the high sensitivity of such radars, which are usually used for studies of the Earth's ionosphere, also enables their use in a passive mode for observations of astronomical radio sources. Observations of solar flares accompanied by coronal mass ejections and of quasi-stationary radio sources on the Sun have been carried out. In addition, scintillations of several of the brightest discrete radio sources (Cygnus A, Cassiopeia A, and the Crab Nebula) have been studied over several months. These data can also be useful for studies of the ionosphere and interplanetary space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is shown that composite radio spectra of the hot spots of the radio galaxy Cygnus A can be fully explained by assuming a nonuniform distribution of the magnetic fields inside the hot spots, without invoking any physical mechanisms other than synchrotron radiation. The magnetic fields are strong ( B ∼ 10−10 G) at the center of the hot spots, and decreases at the hot-spot edges to the level of the magnetic field of the radio lobes in which the hot spots are embedded ( B ∼ 10−10 G). The difference in the magnetic field between the hot-spot center and edge decreases during the evolution, while the average magnetic-field intensity increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the particle energy distribution in the cocoon surrounding Cygnus A, using radio images between 151 MHz and 15 GHz and a 200 ks Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer-Imaging (ACIS-I) image. We show that the excess low-frequency emission in the lobe further from the Earth cannot be explained by absorption or excess adiabatic expansion of the lobe or a combination of both. We show that this excess emission is consistent with emission from a relic counterlobe and a relic counterjet that are being re-energized by compression from the current lobe. We detect hints of a relic hotspot at the end of the relic X-ray jet in the more distant lobe. We do not detect relic emission in the lobe nearer to the Earth as expected from light traveltime effects assuming intrinsic symmetry. We determine that the duration of the previous jet activity phase was slightly less than that of the current jet-active phase. Further, we explain some features observed at 5 and 15 GHz as due to the presence of a relic jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a 200 ks Chandra ACIS-I image of Cygnus A, and discuss a long linear feature seen in its counterlobe. This feature has a nonthermal spectrum and lies on the line connecting the brighter hotspot on the approaching side and the nucleus. We therefore conclude that this feature is (or was) a jet. However, the outer part of this X-ray jet does not trace the current counterjet observed in radio. No X-ray counterpart is observed on the jet side. Using light-travel time effects we conclude that this X-ray 50 kpc linear feature is a relic jet that contains enough low-energy plasma (γ ~ 103) to inverse-Compton scatter cosmic microwave background photons, producing emission in the X-rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the jet and counterjet of the powerful classical double Fanaroff–Riley type II (FR II) radio galaxy Cygnus A as seen in the 5-, 8- and 15-GHz radio bands using the highest spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio archival data available. We demonstrate that the trace of the radio knots that delineate the jet and counterjet deviates from a straight line and that the inner parts can be satisfactorily fitted with the precession model of Hjellming & Johnston. The parameter values of the precession model fits are all plausible although the jet speed is rather low (≲ 0.5 c) but, on investigation, found to be consistent with a number of other independent estimates of the jet speed in Cygnus A. We compare the masses and precession periods for sources with known precession and find that for the small number of active galactic nuclei with precessing jets the precession periods are significantly longer than those of microquasars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The duty cycles of powerful radio galaxies and quasars such as the prototype Cygnus A are poorly understood. X-ray observations of inverse-Compton-scattered cosmic microwave background (ICCMB) photons probe lower Lorentz-factor particles than radio observations of synchrotron emission, and thus potentially reveal a more aged population. Comparative studies of the nearer and farther lobes, separated by many tens of kiloparsecs and thus by tens of thousands of years in light-travel time, yield additional temporal resolution in studies of the life-cycles of such objects. We have co-added all archival Chandra ACIS-I data and present a deep 200-ks image of Cygnus A. This deep image reveals the presence of X-ray emission from a counterjet, i.e. a jet receding from Earth. The outer part of this counterjet does not overlie the current counterjet detected in radio emission, excluding the possibility that we are detecting the current counterjet in X-rays. This non-thermal X-ray emission has a power-law photon index of 1.7, and we interpret this emission as ICCMB radiation. There is an absence of any discernible X-ray emission associated with a jet flowing towards Earth. We make the following conclusions. (1) This emission is from a relic jet, indicating a previous episode of jet activity that took place prior to the current jet activity appearing as synchrotron radio emission. (2) The presence of X-ray emission from a relic counterjet of Cygnus A and the absence of X-ray emission associated with any relic approaching jet constrain the time-scale between successive episodes of jet activity to ∼106 yr. (3) Transverse expansion of the jet causes expansion losses, which shift the energy distribution to lower energies. Particles with initially high Lorentz factors, which originally gave detectable synchrotron radiation, attain Lorentz factors ∼103 and scatter CMB photons, to give X-ray emission. (4) Assuming that the electrons cooled as a result of adiabatic expansion, the required magnetic field strength is substantially smaller than the equipartition magnetic field strength. (5) A high minimum Lorentz factor for the distribution of relativistic particles in the current jet, of a few 103, seems to emerge from the central nucleus of this active galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comparative analysis of 5 GHz VLA and 200 ks Chandra ACIS-I image. In the 5 GHz image the familiar jet and much weaker counterjet are seen, which bend as the jet propagates towards the hotspots. Furthermore, where the lobe detected in 5 GHz emission starts to interact with the jet, we see that the jet “threads”. In the 0.2–10 keV X-ray image we do not detect the jet, but do detect a relic of the counterjet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comparative analysis of 5 GHz VLA and 200 ks Chandra ACIS-I image. In the 5 GHz image the familiar jet and much weaker counterjet are seen, which bend as the jet propagates towards the hotspots. Furthermore, where the lobe detected in 5 GHz emission starts to interact with the jet, we see that the jet “threads”. In the 0.2–10 keV X-ray image we do not detect the jet, but do detect a relic of the counterjet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comparative analysis of 5 GHz VLA and 200 ks Chandra ACIS-I image. In the 5 GHz image the familiar jet and much weaker counterjet are seen, which bend as the jet propagates towards the hotspots. Furthermore, where the lobe detected in 5 GHz emission starts to interact with the jet, we see that the jet “threads”. In the 0.2–10 keV X-ray image we do not detect the jet, but do detect a relic of the counterjet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio flux measurements of the Crab nebula have been performed over many years relative to Orion A at 927 MHz and relative to Cygnus A and Virgo A at 151.5 MHz. The inferred average secular rates of decrease in the radio flux of the Crab nebula are d 927 MHz = −0.18 ± 0.10% yr−1 over 1977–2000 and d 151.5 MHz = −0.3 ± 0.1% yr−1 over 1980–2003. The weighted mean flux-decrease rate averaged over several years of relative measurements at 86, 151.5, 927, and 8000 MHz is d mw = −0.17 ± 0.02% yr−1. The secular flux decrease is frequency independent, with an upper limit of | dα/ dt| < 3 × 10−4 yr−1 for the absolute value of the rate of change of the spectral index, and remains constant in time when averaged over long time intervals. The results of our measurements at 151.5 and 927 MHz combined with published absolute measurements at 81.5 and 8250 MHz are used to determine the radio spectrum of the Crab nebula for epoch 2010.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]