A Chandra detection of the radio hotspot of 3C 123 |
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| Authors: | M J Hardcastle M Birkinshaw D M Worrall |
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| Institution: | Department of Physics, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL |
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| Abstract: | Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of the powerful, peculiar radio galaxy 3C 123 have resulted in an X-ray detection of the bright eastern hotspot, with a 1-keV flux density of ～5 nJy. The X-ray flux and spectrum of the hotspot are consistent with the X-rays being inverse-Compton scattering of radio synchrotron photons by the population of electrons responsible for the radio emission ('synchrotron self-Compton emission') if the magnetic fields in the hotspot are close to their equipartition values. 3C 123 is thus the third radio galaxy to show X-ray emission from a hotspot which is consistent with being in equipartition. Chandra also detects emission from a moderately rich cluster surrounding 3C 123, with L X(2–10 keV)=2×1044 erg s?1 and kT ～5 keV, and absorbed emission from the active nucleus, with an inferred intrinsic column density of 1.7×1022 cm?2 and an intrinsic 2–10 keV luminosity of 1044 erg s?1. |
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| Keywords: | radiation mechanisms: non-thermal galaxies: active galaxies: individual: 3C 123 X-rays: galaxies |
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