Physical information derived from the internal structure in jets

Microquasars, 2001

Quasars and Microquasars share the following properties: (i) They have similar, elongated morphologies-reminiscent of being driven by supersonic beams-consisting of cores, knots, and heads, with jet-opening angles ∼ < 10 −2 , and no beam branching; (ii) core/lobe power ratios of 10 2±2 ; (iii) fluctuating, broad and hard core spectra; (iv) (occasional) sidedness; (v) (occasional) superluminal growth. In all cases, the central engine is thought to be a rotating magnet whose reconnecting magnetic fields generate the relativistic pair plasma-of typical Lorentz factor 10 3±2-which rams the jet channels and blows the cocoons (subsonically) after having been stalled in a head. The supersonic jets form on passing a central deLaval nozzle, first proposed by Blandford and Rees in 1974, which forms naturally due to the huge density contrast of 10 −8.3 T 4 with respect to the ambient medium (of temperature T, T 4 : = T/10 4 K). Beam stability and narrowness are likewise guaranteed by the density contrast (of jet fluid and CSM). Observed are both the (thermal) radiation of the rammed channel-wall material, and the synchrotron radiation of the deflected beam particles.

The Astrophysical Journal, 2017

We present a detailed analysis of the best-quality multi-wavelength data gathered for the large-scale jet in the core-dominated quasar 3C 273. We analyze all the archival observations of the target with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the far-ultraviolet observations with the Hubble Space Telescope, and the 8.4 GHz map obtained with the Very Large Array. In our study we focus on investigating the morphology of the outflow at different frequencies, and therefore we apply various techniques for the image deconvolution, paying particular attention to a precise modeling of the Chandra and Hubble point spread functions. We find that the prominent brightness enhancements in the X-ray and far-ultraviolet jet of 3C 273-the "knots"-are not point-like, and can be resolved transversely as extended features with sizes of about 0.5 kpc. Also, the radio outflow is wider than the deconvolved X-ray/ultraviolet jet. We have also found circumstantial evidence that the intensity peaks of the X-ray knots are located systematically upstream of the corresponding radio intensity peaks, with the projected spatial offsets along the jet ranging from 0.2 kpc up to 1 kpc. We discuss our findings in the wider context of multi-component models for the emission and structure of large-scale quasar jets, and speculate on the physical processes enabling an efficient acceleration of the emitting ultra-relativistic electrons along the entire jet length that exceeds 100 kpc.

Astrophysical Journal, 2006

This letter reports rich X-ray jet structures found in the Chandra observation of PKS 1055+201. In addition to an X-ray jet coincident with the radio jet we detect a region of extended X-ray emission surrounding the jet as far from the core as the radio hotspot to the North, and a similar extended X-ray region along the presumed path of the unseen counterjet to the Southern radio lobe. Both X-ray regions show a similar curvature to the west, relative to the quasar. We interpret this as the first example where we separately detect the X-ray emission from a narrow jet and extended, residual jet plasma over the entire length of a powerful FRII jet. 1 We use a flat, accelerating cosmology, with H 0 =71 km s −1 Mpc −1 , Ωm = 0.27 , and Ω Λ = 0.73.

Galaxies, 2016

Our understanding of the physics of kpc-scale quasar jets had seemed to converge to a paradigm in which these jets are as highly relativistic on the kpc scale as they are on sub-pc scales close to the central black hole. Retaining bulk Lorentz factors (Γ) on the order of 10-20 at these distances implies a jet power comparable to or higher than their Eddington luminosity. We recently started challenging this paradigm, which was put in place to explain the surprisingly bright X-ray emission of the knots of many quasar jets as inverse Compton scattering off the cosmic microwave background (IC/CMB). We have shown that the knot X-ray emission of the archetypical jets 3C 273 and PKS 0637-752 is not due to IC/CMB. With IC/CMB disfavored, an alternative interpretation for the X-rays is synchrotron radiation from a second population of electrons accelerated in situ up to ∼100 TeV. These results are the first step towards resolving the long-standing issue of the nature of the X-ray emission in powerful quasar jets. Comprehensive observational and theoretical work on essentially all X-ray-detected large-scale quasar jets to test the IC/CMB model over a much larger population needs to be done to examine the implications of slower jets that are extremely efficient accelerators. A fascinating case can be made that-contrary to popular belief-the total radiative power of the large-scale jet of these sources is comparable to that of the quasar core. Even more so, the angle-integrated TeV output of these (previously thought TeV-quiet) quasar jets likely makes them the dominant class among active galactic nuclei (AGN), exceeding the TeV production of so-called TeV blazars.

Context. Astrophysical jets are ubiquitous in the Universe on all scales, but their large-scale dynamics and evolution in time are hard to observe since they usually develop at a very slow pace. Aims. We aim to obtain the first observational proof of the expected large-scale evolution and interaction with the environment in an astrophysical jet. Only jets from microquasars offer a chance to witness the real-time, full-jet evolution within a human lifetime, since they combine a 8short′, few parsec length with relativistic velocities. Methods. The methodology of this work is based on a systematic recalibraton of interferometric radio observations of microquasars available in public archives. In particular, radio observations of the microquasar GRS 1758−258 over less than two decades have provided the most striking results. Results. Significant morphological variations in the extended jet structure of GRS 1758−258 are reported here that were previously missed. Its northern radio lobe underwent a major morphological variation that rendered the hotspot undetectable in 2001 and reappeared again in the following years. The reported changes confirm the Galactic nature of the source. We tentatively interpret them in terms of the growth of instabilities in the jet flow. There is also evidence of surrounding cocoon. These results can provide a testbed for models accounting for the evolution of jets and their interaction with the environment.

Proceedings of Frontier Research in Astrophysics — PoS(FRAPWS2014)

In this talk (at Mondello) I attempt to sketch my understanding of the universal working scheme of all the astrophysical jet sources, or 'bipolar flows', on both stellar and galactic scales, also called 'microquasars', and 'quasars'. A crucial building block will be their medium: extremely relativistic e ±-pair plasma performing quasi loss-free E x B-drifts through self-rammed channels, whose guiding equi-partition E-and B-fields convect the electric potential necessary for eventual single-step post-acceleration, at their 'knots' and terminating 'hotspots', or 'heads'. These electromagnetic fields convect half of the jet's power. The indispensible pair plasma is generated in magnetospheric reconnections of the heavy central rotator. Already for this reason, black holes cannot serve as jet engines. During its passage from subsonic to supersonic propagation, still inside its deLaval nozzle, the escaping relativistic pair-plasma passes from a relativistic Maxwellian distribution (almost) to that of a (mono-energetic) Deltafunction, of (uniform) Lorentz-factor γ = 10 2±2. Clearly, this transition in velocity distribution-in transit through the deLaval nozzle-is not loss-free; it turns the jet engine into a powerful γ-ray emitter, with photon frequencies reaching up to 10 26 Hz, (corresponding to electron Lorentz factors γ 10 6), see page 120 of Kundt & Krishna [2004]. So far, all the jets were treated as though propagating in vacuum, as "bare jets". New in this presentation will be an allowance for an embedding medium of non-negligible density, most notably encountered in SS 433 (with its fast-moving X-ray and optical spectral lines), but likewise in our Galactic twin jet. Such an embedding medium, gas or plasma, will try to penetrate into the jet channels, but will instead be expelled, and dragged along by the streaming, extremely relativistic pair plasma, in the form of subrelativistically comoving channel-wall material. In this way, bare jets are converted into (line-and continuum-) emitting "dressed jets".

The Astronomical Journal, 2004

Intensive monitoring of the innermost jet in the quasar 3C 279 at 43 GHz from 1998 March to 2001 April with the Very Long Baseline Array, in combination with previous observations, reveal (1) an increase in apparent speed from 5c to 17c and (2) a change in projected direction of the jet by $20 . These effects could result from a small increase in the intrinsic viewing angle of the jet nozzle from  P 0 .5 to  P 1 . 6, with no increase required in the actual speed of the flow, which corresponds to a Lorentz factor k 20. The Lorentz factor $20 and viewing angle $0 . 5 imply that the Doppler factor is at least 39 close to the core; this extreme value explains the high flux density and rapid variability of 3C 279 across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Highlights of Astronomy

ABSTRACTThe physics of large scale jets in class I and class II extragalactic radio sources and quasars is discussed. Class I jets appear to be turbulent, transonic jets which entrain the interstellar medium. The related jet deceleration causes a slow surface brightness decline which is usually observed. Class II jets are supersonic and terminate in an advancing shock against the external medium. Both types of jet are initially light but the ratio of jet density to external density of class I jets increases owing to entrainment. It is quite plausible that quasar jets are hypersonic and light and this may solve problems of confinement. The velocities of class I jets are of the order of a few thousand kilometers per second. Class II and quasar jets may be at least mildly relativistic. However, it is not clear whether the velocities of large scale jets in powerful sources are close to the speed of light. Recent depolarization measurements provide an interesting focus for discussion of ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 1997

We present a comprehensive analysis of the morphology and dynamics of relativistic pressure-matched axisymmetric jets. The numerical simulations have been carried out with a high-resolution shockcapturing hydrocode based on an approximate relativistic Riemann solver derived from the spectral decomposition of the Jacobian matrices of relativistic hydrodynamics. We discuss the dependence of the jet morphology on several parameters, paying special attention to the relativistic e †ects caused by high Lorentz factors and large internal energies of the beam Ñow. The parameter space of our analysis is spanned by the ratio of the beam and ambient medium rest mass density (g), the beam Mach number the beam Lorentz factor and the adiabatic index (c) of the equation of state (assuming an

Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2017

Context. Despite numerous and detailed studies of the jets of active galactic nuclei (AGN) on pc-scales, many questions are still debated. The physical nature of the jet components is one of the most prominent unsolved problems, as is the launching mechanism of jets in AGN. The quasar 1308+326 (z = 0.997) allows us to study the overall properties of its jet in detail and to derive a more physical understanding of the nature and origin of jets in general. The long-term data provided by the Monitoring Of Jets in Active galactic nuclei with Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) experiments (MOJAVE) survey permit us to trace out the structural changes in 1308+326 that we present here. The long-lived jet features in this source can be followed for about two decades. Aims. We investigate the very long baseline interferomety (VLBI) morphology and kinematics of the jet of 1308+326 to understand the physical nature of this jet and jets in general, the role of magnetic fields, and the causal connection between jet features and the launching process. Methods. Fifty VLBA observations performed at 15 GHz from the MOJAVE survey were re-modeled with Gaussian components and re-analyzed (the time covered: 20 Jan. 1995-25 Jan. 2014). The analysis was supplemented by multi-wavelength radio-data (UMRAO, at 4.8, 8.0, and 14.5 GHz) in polarization and total intensity. We fit the apparent motion of the jet features with the help of a model of a precessing nozzle. Results. The jet features seem to be emitted with varying viewing angles and launched into an ejection cone. Tracing the component paths yields evidence for rotational motion. Radio flux-density variability can be explained as a consequence of enhanced Doppler boosting corresponding to the motion of the jet relative to the line of sight. Based on the presented kinematics and other indicators, such as electric-vector polarization position-angle (EVPA) rotation, we conclude that the jet of 1308+326 has a helical structure, meaning that the components are moving along helical trajectories and the trajectories themselves are also experiencing a precessing motion. A model of a precessing nozzle was applied to the data and a subset of the observed jet feature paths can be modeled successfully within this model. The data till 2012 are consistent with a swing period of 16.9 yr. We discuss several scenarios to explain the observed motion phenomena, including a binary black hole model. It seems unlikely that the accretion disk around the primary black hole, which is disturbed by the tidal forces of the secondary black hole, is able to launch a persistent axisymmetric jet. Conclusions. We conclude that we are observing a rotating helix. In particular, the observed EVPA swings can be explained by a shock moving through a straight jet that is pervaded by a helical magnetic field. We compare our results for 1308+326 with other astrophysical scenarios where similar, wound-up filamentary structures are found. They are all related to accretion-driven processes. A helically moving or wound up object is often explained by filamentary features moving along magnetic field lines of magnetic flux tubes. It seems that a "component" comprises plasma tracing the magnetic field, which guides the motion of the radiating radio-band plasma. Further investigations and modeling are in preparation.