Diffuse radio emission in the galaxy cluster Abell 754

Abstract

We present a low frequency (<1.4GHz) study of the diffuse radio halo and relic emission in the galaxy cluster Abell 0754. Images at 150 MHz made using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) revealed 4 diffuse features; 3 of which are new. Images at 330 and 1363 MHz were created using archival data from the GMRT and the VLA respectively. These yield synchrotron spectral indices, (S ∝ v-∝ ), steeper than 2 for the new features. Adiabatic compression of fossil radio galaxy cocoon by shocks can lead to the formation of radio relics (Ensslin & Gopal-Krishna, 2001). In the framework of this model we find that the relic in A754 can be explained as a lurking cocoon of a radio galaxy; no shock compression is required to produce this emission. The implications of this result to the merger scenario in A754 are discussed.