2001MNRAS.325..817J

Centaurus B (PKS B1343-601) is one of the brightest and closest radio galaxies, with flux density ∼250Jy at 408MHz and redshift 0.01215, but it has not been studied much because of its position (i) close to the Galactic plane (it is also known as G309.6+1.7 and Kes 19) and (ii) in the southern sky. It has recently been suggested as the centre of a highly obscured cluster behind the Galactic plane. We present radio observations made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array and Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope to study the jets and lobes. The total intensity and polarization radio images of the FR I jets are used to determine the jet brightness and width variations, magnetic field structure and fractional polarization. The equipartition pressure calculated along the jets declines rapidly over the first 1arcmin from the galaxy reaching a constant pressure of 10^–13h^–4/7 Pa in the lobes blown in the intracluster medium.