12 November 2009

Speaker: Ralph Kraft (CfA)

Title:An X-ray Study of the Nearest Radio Galaxy - Centaurus A

Abstract:We present results from our Chandra and XMM-Newton study of the nearest radio galaxy Centaurus A. Our observations have shown a variety of features that are not observable in more distant objects, and have given us new insights into AGN jet physics, ultra-relativistic particle acceleration, and the dynamics of the jet interaction with the multi-phase ISM. Topics highlighted in this talk will be an X-ray and radio study of the synchrotron emission from the kpc-scale jet and counter-jet, the high Mach number shock around the SW radio lobe, and the interaction of the jet in the Northern Middle Radio Lobe with cold gas. We will describe how our detailed results on Centaurus A either confirm or alter our general understanding of kpc-scale jets, and outline future work.