An international group of radio astronomers has created the largest catalog of radio galaxies with "winged" morphology using data from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS DR2). The study identified 621 confirmed and 403 candidate objects, three times more than previous high-frequency surveys. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .
The key to this achievement is the high sensitivity of the LOFAR interferometer in detecting low-frequency diffuse radiation. Previous studies relied on 1.4 GHz FIRST data, but the aging plasma in the "wings" loses energy quickly at high frequencies. LOFAR, however, allowed for accurate detection of this radiation at 144 MHz.
Researchers analyzed X-shaped and Z-shaped structures, identifying differences in their physical nature. X-shaped galaxies have a lower spectral index, indicating their plasma is older than that of Z-shaped sources. Furthermore, 16% of the identified objects exceed 0.7 megaparsecs in size, classifying them as giant radio galaxies.
This scientific work was carried out in collaboration with scientists from China, Poland, and India. The results not only help in understanding the evolution of galactic nuclei but also serve as an important foundation for future missions of the SKA radio telescope and the CSST orbital observatory.
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