Jet-ISM Interaction in the Radio Galaxy 3C293: Jet-driven Shocks Heat
  ISM to Power X-ray and Molecular H2 emission
  We present a 70ks Chandra observation of the radio galaxy 3C293. This galaxy
belongs to the class of molecular hydrogen emission galaxies (MOHEGs) that have
very luminous emission from warm molecular hydrogen. In radio galaxies, the
molecular gas appears to be heated by jet-driven shocks, but exactly how this
mechanism works is still poorly understood. With Chandra, we observe X-ray
emission from the jets within the host galaxy and along the 100 kpc radio jets.
We model the X-ray spectra of the nucleus, the inner jets, and the X-ray
features along the extended radio jets. Both the nucleus and the inner jets
show evidence of 10^7 K shock-heated gas. The kinetic power of the jets is more
than sufficient to heat the X-ray emitting gas within the host galaxy. The
thermal X-ray and warm H2 luminosities of 3C293 are similar, indicating similar
masses of X-ray hot gas and warm molecular gas. This is consistent with a
picture where both derive from a multiphase, shocked interstellar medium (ISM).
We find that radio-loud MOHEGs that are not brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs),
like 3C293, typically have LH2/LX~1 and MH2/MX~1, whereas MOHEGs that are BCGs
have LH2/LX~0.01 and MH2/MX~0.01. The more massive, virialized, hot atmosphere
in BCGs overwhelms any direct X-ray emission from current jet-ISM interaction.
On the other hand, LH2/LX~1 in the Spiderweb BCG at z=2, which resides in an
unvirialized protocluster and hosts a powerful radio source. Over time, jet-ISM
interaction may contribute to the establishment of a hot atmosphere in BCGs and
other massive elliptical galaxies.
