Deep polarimetry study reveals double ring ORC-like structures

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Main Authors: Taziaux, Sam, Bomans, Dominik J., Riseley, Christopher J., Thomson, Alec J. M., Norris, Ray P., Basu, Aritra, Heald, George H., Galvin, Timothy J., Adebahr, Björn, Filipović, Miroslav D., Gupta, Nikhel, Shabala, Stas, Zafar, Tayyaba
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Taziaux, Sam
Bomans, Dominik J.
Riseley, Christopher J.
Thomson, Alec J. M.
Norris, Ray P.
Basu, Aritra
Heald, George H.
Galvin, Timothy J.
Adebahr, Björn
Filipović, Miroslav D.
Gupta, Nikhel
Shabala, Stas
Zafar, Tayyaba
author_facet Taziaux, Sam
Bomans, Dominik J.
Riseley, Christopher J.
Thomson, Alec J. M.
Norris, Ray P.
Basu, Aritra
Heald, George H.
Galvin, Timothy J.
Adebahr, Björn
Filipović, Miroslav D.
Gupta, Nikhel
Shabala, Stas
Zafar, Tayyaba
contents New observations with the current generation of advanced radio interferometers, such as ASKAP and MeerKAT, have led to the discovery of new classes of extended radio sources of unknown origin, including the so-called Odd Radio Circles (ORCs). These phenomena are detected exclusively in the radio continuum, with no clear counterparts at other wavelengths, making their physical nature and origin a subject of ongoing investigation. To better understand these objects, we study their radio continuum emission, spectral characteristics, and magnetic field properties. In this work, we present a radio spectropolarimetry analysis of a newly discovered ORC (ORC J0356-4216) that exhibits a rare double-ring morphology. We use data from the MeerKAT L-band and from the ASKAP Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) at 943 MHz. ORC J0356-4216 shows a symmetric double-ring structure with a diameter of approximately 2 arcminutes, corresponding to a physical size of 668 kpc based on the redshift ($0.494 \pm 0.068$) of its apparent host galaxy WISEA J035609.67-421603.5. The radio spectra of both rings are steep, with spectral indices of $-1.18 \pm 0.03$ and $-1.12 \pm 0.05$, and show no significant substructure. Equipartition magnetic field strengths (assuming K0 = 1) are estimated to be 1.82 microGauss and 1.65 microGauss for the respective rings. The degree of polarisation across the object ranges between 20-30%, consistent with a non-thermal synchrotron origin. The morphology and polarisation are broadly consistent with large-scale shocks driven by powerful starburst outflows. However, the high degree of symmetry, the coherent double-ring structure, and the absence of internal substructure are features commonly associated with relic AGN lobes, making this scenario particularly compatible with the observed characteristics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_04981
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Deep polarimetry study reveals double ring ORC-like structures
Taziaux, Sam
Bomans, Dominik J.
Riseley, Christopher J.
Thomson, Alec J. M.
Norris, Ray P.
Basu, Aritra
Heald, George H.
Galvin, Timothy J.
Adebahr, Björn
Filipović, Miroslav D.
Gupta, Nikhel
Shabala, Stas
Zafar, Tayyaba
Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
New observations with the current generation of advanced radio interferometers, such as ASKAP and MeerKAT, have led to the discovery of new classes of extended radio sources of unknown origin, including the so-called Odd Radio Circles (ORCs). These phenomena are detected exclusively in the radio continuum, with no clear counterparts at other wavelengths, making their physical nature and origin a subject of ongoing investigation. To better understand these objects, we study their radio continuum emission, spectral characteristics, and magnetic field properties. In this work, we present a radio spectropolarimetry analysis of a newly discovered ORC (ORC J0356-4216) that exhibits a rare double-ring morphology. We use data from the MeerKAT L-band and from the ASKAP Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) at 943 MHz. ORC J0356-4216 shows a symmetric double-ring structure with a diameter of approximately 2 arcminutes, corresponding to a physical size of 668 kpc based on the redshift ($0.494 \pm 0.068$) of its apparent host galaxy WISEA J035609.67-421603.5. The radio spectra of both rings are steep, with spectral indices of $-1.18 \pm 0.03$ and $-1.12 \pm 0.05$, and show no significant substructure. Equipartition magnetic field strengths (assuming K0 = 1) are estimated to be 1.82 microGauss and 1.65 microGauss for the respective rings. The degree of polarisation across the object ranges between 20-30%, consistent with a non-thermal synchrotron origin. The morphology and polarisation are broadly consistent with large-scale shocks driven by powerful starburst outflows. However, the high degree of symmetry, the coherent double-ring structure, and the absence of internal substructure are features commonly associated with relic AGN lobes, making this scenario particularly compatible with the observed characteristics.
title Deep polarimetry study reveals double ring ORC-like structures
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.04981