arXiv · astro-ph/9910417
On the Physical Conditions in AGN Optical Jets
Abstract
The energy budget of all known optical jets is discussed. It is found that to power the extended radio lobes of radio galaxies, the jet bulk motion on kpc scales must be relativistic, on average. Based on various constraints, a ``most probable'' region centered around bulk Lorentz factor ~7.5 and jet inclination \~20 degrees is found. Because of the consequent relativistic beaming, the rest frame magnetic field is lower and electron lifetimes longer. Combining the effects of time dilation and lower emission rate, the electron diffusion length becomes fully consistent with the deprojected jet length, without the need for reacceleration.
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Riccardo Scarpa, C. Megan Urry. 1999-11-16. On the Physical Conditions in AGN Optical Jets. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1387-6473(02)00151-3
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