In Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume 15, Issue 2, pp.67-144, 2008.
astro-ph/0802.2770

For a PDF version of the article, click here.

DISTANT RADIO GALAXIES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS

G. K. Miley ¹ and C. De Breuck ²

¹ Sterrewacht, Leiden University, Postbus 9513, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 71 5275849
miley@strw.leidenuniv.nl
² European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2 D-85748, Garching, Germany
Phone: +49 89 32006613
cdebreuc@eso.org

Abstract. We review the properties and nature of luminous high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs, z > 2) and the environments in which they are located. HzRGs have several distinct constituents which interact with each other - relativistic plasma, gas in various forms, dust, stars and an active galactic nucleus (AGN). These building blocks provide unique diagnostics about conditions in the early Universe. We discuss the properties of each constituent. Evidence is presented that HzRGs are massive forming galaxies and the progenitors of brightest cluster galaxies in the local Universe. HzRGs are located in overdense regions in the early Universe and are frequently surrounded by protoclusters. We review the properties and nature of these radio-selected protoclusters. Finally we consider the potential for future progress in the field during the next few decades. A compendium of known HzRGs is given in an appendix.

Key words: Radio galaxies; High-redshift; Massive galaxies; Clusters

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