The role of AGN jets and intracluster magnetic fields in the formation and acceleration of cosmic rays

Abstract

AbstractUsing radio and X-ray data of two powerful radio galaxies, we attempt to find out the role that radio jets (in terms of composition and power), as well as intracluster magnetic fields, play in the formation, propagation, and acceleration of cosmic rays. For this study we have selected the powerful radio galaxies Hercules A and 3C 310 because of the presence of ring-like features in their kpc-scale radio emission instead of the usual hotspots. These two FR1.5 lie at the center of galaxy cooling flow clusters in a dense environment. We observed the unique jets of Hercules both in kpc-scales (multifrequency VLA data) and pc-scales (EVN observations at 18 cm). We have also observed the core and inner jets of 3C310 at 18 cm using global VLBI. We report on the work in progress.