We found some strange radio sources in distant galaxy clusters. They make us rethink what we think we know.
The universe is filled with galaxy clusters – massive structures piled up at the intersection of the cosmic web. A single cluster can span millions of light years and consist of hundreds, or even thousands, of galaxies. However, these galaxies represent only a few percent of the total mass of the cluster. About 80% of it is dark matter, and the rest is hot plasma “soup”: gas heated to above 10,000,000℃ and entwined with weak magnetic fields. We and our team of international colleagues have identified a series of rarely observed radio objects – radio remains, radio halos, and radio emission fossils – in a highly dynamic galaxy cluster called Abell 3266. They challenge existing theories about the object’s origin. and their characteristics. Relics, halos and fossils Clusters of galaxies allow us to study a rich variety of processes – including magnetism and plasma physics – in environments that we cannot recreate in our laboratories. When the clusters collide with each other, a large a