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arXiv · 1106.1397

Measurement of the Electric Current in a Kpc-Scale Jet

Philipp P. Kronberg·Richard V. E. Lovelace·Giovanni Lapenta·Stirling A. Colgate
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Abstract

We present radio emission, polarization, and Faraday rotation maps of the radio jet of the galaxy 3C303. From this data we derive the magnetoplasma and electrodynamic parameters of this 50 kpc long jet. For a {$\sim 2$} kpc segment of this jet we obtain for the first time a direct determination of a {\it galactic}-scale electric current ($\sim 3 \times 10^{18}$ A), and its direction $-$ {\it positive} away from the AGN. Our analysis strongly supports a model where the jet energy flow is mainly electromagnetic.

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Philipp P. Kronberg, Richard V. E. Lovelace, Giovanni Lapenta, Stirling A. Colgate. 2011-12-19. Measurement of the Electric Current in a Kpc-Scale Jet. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205%2F741%2F1%2Fl15

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