Constraints on the gamma-ray emission from the cluster-scale AGN outburst in the Hydra A galaxy cluster

Abramowski A, Acero F, Aharonian F, Akhperjanian AG, Anton G, Balenderan S, Balzer A, Barnacka A, Becherini Y, Becker J, Bernloehr K, Birsin E, Biteau J, Bochow A, Boisson C, Bolmont J, Bordas P, Brucker J, Brun F, Brun P, Bulik T, Buesching I, Carrigan S, Casanova S, Cerruti M, Chadwick PM, Charbonnier A, Chaves RCG, Cheesebrough A, Cologna G, Conrad J, Couturier C, Daniel MK, Davids ID, Degrange B, Deil C, Dickinson HJ, Djannati-Atai A, Domainko W, Drury LO, Dubus G, Dutson K, Dyks J, Dyrda M, Egberts K, Eger P, Espigat P, Fallon L, Fegan S, Feinstein F, Fernandes MV, Fiasson A, Fontaine G, Foerster A, Fuessling M, Gajdus M, Gallant YA, Garrigoux T, Gast H, Gerard L, Giebels B, Glicenstein JF, Glueck B, Göring D, Grondin MH, Häffner S, Hague JD, Hahn J, Hampf D, Harris J, Hauser M, Heinz S, Heinzelmann G, Henri G, Hermann G, Hillert A, Hinton JA, Hofmann W, Hofverberg P, Holler M, Horns D, Jacholkowska A, Jahn C, Jamrozy M, Jung I, Kastendieck MA, Katarzynski K, Katz U, Kaufmann S, Khelifi B, Klochkov D, Kluzniak W, Kneiske TM, Komin N, Kosack K, Kossakowski R, Krayzel F, Laffon H, Lamanna G, Lenain JP, Lennarz D, Lohse T, Lopatin A, Lu CC, Marandon V, Marcowith A, Masbou J, Maurin G, Maxted NI, Mayer M, Mccomb TJL, Medina MC, Mehault J, Moderski R, Mohamed M, Moulin E, Naumann CL, Naumann-Godo M, De Naurois M, Nedbal D, Nekrassov D, Nguyen N, Nicholas B, Niemiec J, Nolan SJ, Ohm S, Wilhelmi EDO, Opitz B, Ostrowski M, Oya I, Panter M, Arribas MP, Pekeur NW, Pelletier G, Perez J, Petrucci PO, Peyaud B, Pita S, Puehlhofer G, Punch M, Quirrenbach A, Raue M, Reimer A, Reimer O, Renaud M, De Los Reyes R, Rieger F, Ripken J, Rob L, Rosier-Lees S, Rowell G, Rudak B, Rulten CB, Sahakian V, Sanchez DA, Santangelo A, Schlickeiser R, Schulz A, Schwanke U, Schwarzburg S, Schwemmer S, Sheidaei F, Skilton JL, Sol H, Spengler G, Stawarz L, Steenkamp R, Stegmann C, Stinzing F, Stycz K, Sushch I, Szostek A, Tavernet JP, Terrier R, Tluczykont M, Valerius K, van Eldik C, Vasileiadis G, Venter C, Viana A, Vincent P, Voelk HJ, Volpe F, Vorobiov S, Vorster M, Wagner SJ, Ward M, White R, Wierzcholska A, Zacharias M, Zajczyk A, Zdziarski AA, Zech A, Zechlin HS, Ali MO (2012)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2012

Journal

Publisher: EDP Sciences

Book Volume: 545

Article Number: A103

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201219655

Abstract

Context. In some galaxy clusters, powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN) have blown bubbles with cluster scale extent into the ambient medium. The main pressure support of these bubbles is not known to date, but cosmic rays are a viable possibility. For such a scenario copious gamma-ray emission is expected as a tracer of cosmic rays from these systems. Aims. Hydra A, the closest galaxy cluster hosting a cluster scale AGN outburst, located at a redshift of 0.0538, is investigated for being a gamma-ray emitter with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) array and the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT). Methods. Data obtained in 20.2 h of dedicated H.E.S.S. observations and 38 months of Fermi-LAT data, gathered by its usual all-sky scanning mode, have been analyzed to search for a gamma-ray signal. Results. No signal has been found in either data set. Upper limits on the gamma-ray flux are derived and are compared to models. These are the first limits on gamma-ray emission ever presented for galaxy clusters hosting cluster scale AGN outbursts. Conclusions. The non-detection of Hydra A in gamma-rays has important implications on the particle populations and physical conditions inside the bubbles in this system. For the case of bubbles mainly supported by hadronic cosmic rays, the most favorable scenario, which involves full mixing between cosmic rays and embedding medium, can be excluded. However, hadronic cosmic rays still remain a viable pressure support agent to sustain the bubbles against the thermal pressure of the ambient medium. The largest population of highly-energetic electrons, which are relevant for inverse-Compton gamma-ray production is found in the youngest inner lobes of Hydra A. The limit on the inverse-Compton gamma-ray flux excludes a magnetic field below half of the equipartition value of 16 μG in the inner lobes. © 2012 ESO.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE) Université Joseph Fourier (UJF Grenoble 1) France (FR) Nicolaus Copernicus University (NCU) / Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu (UMK) Poland (PL) Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) / Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics Germany (DE) Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) Germany (DE) University of Savoy Mont Blanc / Université Savoie Mont Blanc France (FR) University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot France (FR) Durham University United Kingdom (GB) Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN / Instytut Fizyki Jądrowej im. Henryka Niewodniczańskiego PAN Poland (PL) Commissariat à l'énergie atomique France (FR) University of Namibia (UNAM) Namibia (NA) Universität Hamburg (UHH) Germany (DE) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) École Polytechnique - Université Paris-Saclay France (FR) Jagiellonian University / Uniwersytet Jagielloński (UJ) Poland (PL) University of Paris 6 - Pierre et Marie Curie / Université Paris VI Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) France (FR) University of Warsaw / Uniwersytet Warszawski Poland (PL) University of Montpellier / Université Montpellier France (FR) National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) / Հայաստանի Հանրապետության գիտությունների ազգային ակադեմիա, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ Armenia (AM) Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences Poland (PL) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) Ireland (IE) Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Germany (DE) Univerzita Karlova v Praze / Charles University in Prague Czech Republic (CZ) Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck / University of Innsbruck Austria (AT) University of Adelaide Australia (AU) University of Leeds United Kingdom (GB) Noordwes-Universiteit / North-West University South Africa (ZA) University of Leicester United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., Akhperjanian, A.G., Anton, G., Balenderan, S.,... Ali, M.O. (2012). Constraints on the gamma-ray emission from the cluster-scale AGN outburst in the Hydra A galaxy cluster. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 545. https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201219655

MLA:

Abramowski, A., et al. "Constraints on the gamma-ray emission from the cluster-scale AGN outburst in the Hydra A galaxy cluster." Astronomy & Astrophysics 545 (2012).

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