Large-scale diffuse radio emission from clusters of galaxies and the importance of low frequency radio observations

Abstract: The presence of non-thermal components in galaxy clusters is now clearly established. Diffuse radio emission from the Intra Cluster Medium (ICM) of several galaxy clusters is revealed in the form of radio halos and relics. These emissions are synchrotron radiation from a population of relativistic electrons mixed with the thermal gas and diffusing through microGauss turbulent magnetic fields. Radio Halos are surely the most interesting evidences of cluster non-thermal activity and understanding their origin is one of the most intriguing problems of the physics of the ICM. I review observational and theoretical results obtained in the last few years and discuss the impact of present (e.g. GMRT) and future low frequency radio telescopes (LOFAR, LWA) in our understanding of non-thermal phenomena in galaxy clusters.