Radio Jets in Cooling Cores

Abstract

Almost every strong cooling core contains an active radio galaxy. Combined radio and X-ray images reveal the dramatic interaction which is taking place between the radio jet and the central cluster plasma. At least two important questions can in principle be answered by comparing the new data to theoretical models. The first is how the radio jet propagates, and disrupts, in the cooling core environment: why are these cluster-center radio sources unusual? The second is the effect the radio jet has on the cooling core: is it energetically important to the core? Thanks to the new data we are beginning to be able to answer these questions.