Synchrotron filaments in radio galaxies: rarity, stability, and environmental influences from LOFAR and ROSAT observations

Abstract: We present a systematic investigation of filamentary synchrotron structures in radio galaxies, using deep 144 MHz observations from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) in combination with archival ROSAT X-ray data. These narrow, collimated features, linking radio lobes and often aligned with jet axes, are rare: our visual inspection of 548 cluster-associated sources identified 12 candidates (~2.2%), of which three exhibit clearly resolved filaments suitable for detailed X-ray and synchrotron minimum pressure analysis. Minimum pressures in these filaments are consistently lower than the ambient thermal pressure derived from X-ray measurements. This disparity implies a role for external confinement in filament stability, aligning with theoretical predictions of thermal pressure support and potentially toroidal magnetic field configurations. We discuss filament formation scenarios, including relic AGN outflows, magnetic draping, and plasma instabilities. Our findings highlight the utility of filamentary structures as probes of intracluster magnetic field topology and AGN feedback, and demonstrate the need for high-resolution, multi-frequency studies to constrain their origin and evolution.