Annalisa Bonafede - Unravelling magnetic fields and particle acceleration mechanisms in galaxy clusters through radio observations

Unravelling magnetic fields and particle acceleration mechanisms in galaxy clusters through radio observations

by Annalisa Bonafede (Università di Bologna)

Abstract: Galaxy clusters are a gold mine to understand particle acceleration mechanisms in plasmas. The intra-cluster medium is indeed composed of a hot and tenuous gas  co-existsing with a large-scale magnetic field, that can originate synchrotron radio emission in presence of relativistic cosmic ray electrons. Synchrotron radio emission is observed from galaxy clusters in several forms. Theoretical models link the diffuse radio emission to turbulent and shock acceleration during cluster mergers, but the mechanisms are still poorly understood.The advent of low frequency radio instruments such as LOFAR, MeerKAT, and ASKAP, has allowed us to make important step forwards in this field. At the same time, new unexpected sources of emission have been discovered, posing new questions about particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification in these environments. In this talk, I will present the new picture that is emerging in these years, focussing both on what we have understood and on the questions that new discoveries are posing.

Contact: Chiara Feruglio

Join in person in the Library seminar room (Castello Basevi - reservation required, please book here below) or remotely on meet.google.com/zfy-mtgs-tpc