The High-energy emission of jetted AGN. Issue Volume 14:Issue A30(2018) (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schwartz, Daniel A.
• Editors: Lago, Maria Teresa
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 14:Issue A30(2018)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: (galaxies:) quasars: general, -- galaxies: jets, -- X-rays: galaxies, -- radio continuum: galaxies, -- black hole physics, -- (cosmology:) cosmic microwave background; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921319003454
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Quasars with flat radio spectra and one-sided, arc-second scale, ≈ 100 mJy GHz radio jets are found to have similar scale X-ray jets in about 60% of such objects, even in short 5 to 10 ks Chandra observations. Jets emit in the GHz band via synchrotron radiation, as known from polarization measurements. The X-ray emission is explained most simply, i.e. with the fewest additional parameters, as inverse Compton (iC) scattering of cosmic microwave background (cmb) photons by the relativistic electrons in the jet. With physics based assumptions, one can estimate enthalpy fluxes upwards of 10 46 erg s −1, sufficient to reverse cooling flows in clusters of galaxies, and play a significant role in the feedback process which correlates the masses of black holes and their host galaxy bulges. On a quasar-by-quasar basis, we can show that the total energy to power these jets can be supplied by the rotational energy of black holes with spin parameters as low as a = 0.3. For a few bright jets at redshifts less than 1, the Fermi gamma ray observatory shows upper limits at 10 Gev which fall below the fluxes predicted by the iC/cmb mechanism, proving the existence of multiple relativistic particle populations. At large redshifts, the cmb energy density is enhanced by a factor (1+z) 4, so that iC/cmb must be the dominant mechanism for relativistic jets unless their rest frame magnetic field strength is hundreds of micro-Gauss.