Intricate threads of Abell 133: unraveling the complex thermal gas and AGN-induced outburst in a cool-core cluster

Abstract

Abell 133 is one of the most deeply studied galaxy clusters across a broad range of wavelengths. It hosts a filamentary radio source with a clear connection to apparently uplifted thermal gas from the cool-core surrounding the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG). The thermal gas in the cluster core exhibits a disturbed morphology, featuring a faint sloshing edge that hints at recent disturbances caused by a merging subcluster. In this poster, we re-evaluate the apparent projection of a background giant radio galaxy onto the cluster. Previous radio observations revealed extended steep spectrum emission south of the Abell 133 BCG, with a potential 'core' linked to a background galaxy. Optical analysis identified the galaxy as the BCG of a background cluster while analysis of the Chandra data reveals an X-ray excess potentially associated with the intracluster medium of that cluster. Our new MeerKAT observations provide a comprehensive view of the diffuse radio emission from the Abell 133 BCG region down to a southern shell-like structure. Remarkably, high resolution MeerKAT data plus archival and new VLA data reveal multiple threads connecting the filamentary radio source to the BCG and further extending towards the southern emission. We will discuss these findings in relation the AGN in the Abell 133 BCG and the background galaxy cluster