Galaxy Cluster Magnetic Fields from Active Galactic Nuclei
Paul Sutter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Active galactic nuclei (AGN) found at the centers of clusters of galaxies are a possible source for cluster-wide magnetic fields. To evaluate this scenario, we present 3D adaptive mesh refinement MHD simulations of a cool-core cluster that include injection of kinetic, thermal, and magnetic energy via an AGN-powered jet. We use the MHD solver in FLASH 3, coupled to an AGN model that stochastically links the estimated accretion rate as measured on the simulation mesh to the accretion rate onto the central black hole and the resulting feedback. We discuss the accretion rates and injection timescales needed to reproduce observed cluster magnetic properties.
Abstract Author(s): Paul Sutter, Paul Ricker