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U.S. Department of Energy
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X-rays from the radio halo of Virgo A = M87

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6225355
The purpose of this study is to investigate in more detail the associated x-ray and radio emission in the Virgo A halo discovered by SGF. Improved Einstein HRI data and new radio maps obtained with the Very Large Array are described and the relation between the x-ray and radio structures is carefully examined. Several possible explanations are presented for the x-ray emission. The inverse Compton model is found to be viable only if the magnetic field is variable and substantially weaker than the equipartition value. The principal alternative is excess thermal x rays due to compression of the intracluster medium by the radio lobe. In either case, the association of such prominent radio and x-ray structures is unique among known radio galaxies.
Research Organization:
Carnegie Institution of Washington, DC (USA)
OSTI ID:
6225355
Report Number(s):
N-86-13285
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English