The dynamics and environmental impact of 3C452

Abstract

We present a detailed analysis of a new XMM-Newton observation of the Fanaroff-Riley type II (FR II) radio galaxy 3C452 and its environment. We detect X-ray emission from the hot intragroup medium and measure its temperature as well as obtaining the surface brightness and pressure profiles. We provide evidence that 3C452 is currently heating its environment, measuring a temperature of 1.18 ± 0.11keV for the immediate environment of the radio source compared to 0.86+0.13- 0.05keV for the outer environment. We also present evidence that the outer regions of the lobes are overpressured (internal pressure of 2.6 × 10-13Pa and external pressure of 1.11 ± 0.11 × 10-13Pa at the edge of the lobes) and therefore are driving a shock at the lobe edges (with a temperature which we constrain to be 1.7+0.9- 0.5keV), while the inner regions of the lobes are underpressured and contracting. Taking into account the very large amount of energy stored in the lobes, we show that this relatively low powered FR II radio galaxy will have an extremely significant impact on its group environment.