Radio emission from merging galaxy clusters : characterizing shocks, magnetic fields and particle acceleration

In this thesis an interferometric study of diffuse radio sources, so-called halos and relics, in and around galaxy clusters is performed. These sources are thought to trace shocks and turbulence generated by galaxy cluster merger events. GMRT, WSRT and VLA observations are analyzed to measure the spectral and polarimetric properties of the diffuse cluster emission. In addition, a search for new relics and halos is carried out based on existing radio surveys. Numerical simulations of cluster mergers are described, which have the aim of constraining the cluster mergers parameters from observations of double radio relics. The first LOFAR observation of cluster-scale diffuse radio emission is presented. LOFAR is a new pan-European radio telescope that operates at the lowest radio frequencies accessible from the surface of the Earth.