3C 459: a highly asymmetric radio galaxy with a starburst |
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| Authors: | P Thomasson D J Saikia T W B Muxlow |
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| Institution: | The University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9DL;Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, PB No 3, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, India |
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| Abstract: | Multifrequency radio observations of the radio galaxy 3C 459 using MERLIN, VLA and the EVN and an optical Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) image using the F702W filter are presented. The galaxy has a very asymmetric radio structure, a high infrared luminosity and a young stellar population. The eastern component of the double-lobed structure is brighter, much closer to the nucleus and is significantly less polarized than the western one. This is consistent with the jet on the eastern side interacting with dense gas, which could be due to a merged companion or dense cloud of gas. The HST image of the galaxy presented here exhibits filamentary structures and is compared with the MERLIN 5-GHz radio map. EVN observations of the prominent central component, which has a steep radio spectrum, show a strongly curved structure suggesting a bent or helical radio jet. The radio structure of 3C 459 is compared with other highly asymmetric, Fanaroff–Riley II radio sources, which are also good candidates for studying jet–cloud interactions. Such sources are usually of small linear size and it is possible that the jets are interacting with clouds of infalling gas that fuel the radio source. |
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| Keywords: | galaxies: active galaxies: individual: 3C 459 galaxies: jets galaxies: nuclei radio continuum: galaxies |
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