arXiv subjects

Marek Sikora

Publications and source records attributed to Marek Sikora.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

RuleKit: A Comprehensive Suite for Rule-Based Learning

Rule-based models are often used for data analysis as they combine interpretability with predictive power. We present RuleKit, a versatile tool for rule learning. Based on a sequential covering induction algorithm, it is suitable for classification, regression, and survival problems. The presence of a user-guided induction facilitates verifying hypotheses concerning data dependencies which are expected or of interest. The powerful and flexible experimental environment allows straightforward investigation of different induction schemes. The analysis can be performed in batch mode, through RapidMiner plug-in, or R package. A documented Java API is also provided for convenience. The software is publicly available at GitHub under GNU AGPL-3.0 license.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2019

The effect of adiabatic losses on spectra of stationary jets and the origin of soft radio spectra of accreting black-hole sources

It has been suggested that adiabatic energy losses are not effective in stationary jets, where the jet expansion is not associated with net work. Here, we study jet solutions without them, assuming that adiabatic losses are balanced by electron reacceleration. The absence of effective adiabatic losses makes electron advection along the jet an important process, and we solve the electron kinetic equation including that process. We find analytical solutions for the case of conical jets with advection and synchrotron losses. We show that accounting for adiabatic losses in the case of sources showing soft partially self-absorbed spectra with the spectral index of $α<0$ in the radio-to-IR regime requires deposition of large amounts of energy at large distances in the jet. On the other hand, such spectra can be accounted for by advection of electrons in the jet. We compare our results to the quiescent spectrum of the blazar Mrk 421. We find its soft radio-IR spectrum can be fitted either by a model without adiabatic losses and advection of electrons or by one with adiabatic losses, but the latter requires injection of a very large power at large distances.

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arXiv2018

Comparison of hard X-ray spectra of luminous radio galaxies and their radio-quiet counterparts

We study the differences in X-ray properties of luminous radio galaxies and their radio-quiet counterparts. In order to avoid biases associated with the dependence of X-ray properties on the black hole mass and Eddington ratio, the radio-loud and radio-quiet objects are selected to cover similar ranges of these parameters. Our studies are based on the X-ray data from the Swift/BAT catalogue. We confirm previous results that radio galaxies are on average X-ray-louder than radio-quiet AGNs, but find that their spectral slopes are very similar. This suggests that in radio-loud and radio-quiet AGNs the hard X-rays are produced in the same region and by the same mechanism. We argue that this region can be associated with the hot, geometrically thick, central portion of the accretion flow, where production of hard X-rays is likely to be dominated by Comptonization of the optical/UV radiation of the truncated 'cold' accretion disc by hot electrons. The larger X-ray luminosities in radio-loud AGNs may result from larger radiative efficiencies of the innermost portions of the accretion flows around faster rotating black holes.

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arXiv2018

GuideR: a guided separate-and-conquer rule learning in classification, regression, and survival settings

This article presents GuideR, a user-guided rule induction algorithm, which overcomes the largest limitation of the existing methods-the lack of the possibility to introduce user's preferences or domain knowledge to the rule learning process. Automatic selection of attributes and attribute ranges often leads to the situation in which resulting rules do not contain interesting information. We propose an induction algorithm which takes into account user's requirements. Our method uses the sequential covering approach and is suitable for classification, regression, and survival analysis problems. The effectiveness of the algorithm in all these tasks has been verified experimentally, confirming guided rule induction to be a powerful data analysis tool.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2017

Disk-Jet Connection in Active Supermassive Black Holes in the Standard Accretion Disk Regime

We study the disk-jet connection in supermassive black holes by investigating the properties of their optical and radio emissions utilizing the SDSS-DR7 and the NVSS catalogs. Our sample contains 7017 radio-loud quasars with detection both at 1.4~GHz and SDSS optical spectrum. Using this radio-loud quasar sample, we investigate the correlation among the jet power ($P_{\rm jet}$), the bolometric disk luminosity ($L_{\rm disk}$), and the black hole mass ($M_{\rm BH}$) in the standard accretion disk regime. We find that the jet powers correlate with the bolometric disk luminosities as $\log P_{\rm jet} = (0.96\pm0.012)\log L_{\rm disk} + (0.79 \pm 0.55)$. This suggests that the jet production efficiency of $η_{\rm jet}\simeq1.1_{-0.76}^{+2.6}\times10^{-2}$ assuming the disk radiative efficiency of $0.1$ implying low black hole spin parameters and/or low magnetic flux for radio-loud quasars. But it can be also due to dependence of the efficiency on geometrical thickness of the accretion flow which is expected to be small for quasars accreting at the disk Eddington ratios $0.01 \lesssim λ\lesssim 0.3$. This low jet production efficiency does not significantly increase even if we set the disk radiative efficiency of 0.3. We also investigate the fundamental plane in our samples among $P_{\rm jet}$, $L_{\rm disk}$, and $M_{\rm BH}$. We could not find a statistically significant fundamental plane for radio-loud quasars in the standard accretion regime.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

On the efficiency of jet production in FR II radio galaxies and quasars

Jet powers in many radio galaxies with extended radio structures appear to exceed their associated accretion luminosities. In systems with very low accretion rates, this is likely due to the very low accretion luminosities resulting from radiatively inefficient accretion flows. In systems with high accretion rates, the accretion flows are expected to be radiatively efficient, and the production of such powerful jets may require an accretion scenario which involves magnetically arrested discs (MADs). However, numerical simulations of the MAD scenario indicate that jet production efficiency is large only for geometrically thick accretion flows and scales roughly with $(H/R)^2$, where $H$ is the disc height and $R$ is the distance from the BH. Using samples of FRII radio galaxies and quasars accreting at moderate accretion rates we show that their jets are much more powerful than predicted by the MAD scenario. We discuss possible origins of this discrepancy, suggesting that it can be related to approximations adopted in MHD simulations to treat optically thick accretion flow within the MAD-zone, or may indicate that accretion disks are geometrically thicker than the standard theory predicts.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

The power and production efficiency of blazar jets

We use published data on the power and production efficiency of jets in blazars with double radio lobes in order to compare results obtained using different methods. In order to eliminate selection effects, we use cross-matched sub-samples containing only luminous blazars. We compare the three main existing methods, namely those based on the emission of radio lobes, on spectral fitting, and on radio core shift. We find the average jet power obtained for identical samples with the radio-lobe method is $\sim10$ times lower than that from the spectral fitting. In turn, the power from spectral fitting is compatible with that from core-shift modelling for plausible parameters of the latter. We also consider a phenomenological estimator based on the γ-ray luminosity. We examine uncertainties of those methods and discuss two alternative hypotheses. In one, the blazar-fit and core-shift methods are assumed to be correct, and the lower power from radio lobes is caused by intermittency of accretion. Long periods of quiescence cause the energy in the radio lobes, accumulated over the lifetime of the blazar, to be much less than that estimated based on the present luminous state. In addition, the power calculated using the radio lobes can be underestimated for intrinsically compact jets, in which the radio core flux can be over-subtracted. In our second hypothesis, the radio-lobe method is assumed to be correct, and the blazar-fit and core-shift powers are reduced due to the presence of $\sim15$ pairs per proton, and a larger magnetization than usually assumed, respectively.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Powers and Magnetization of Blazar Jets

In this work I review the observational constraints imposed on the energetics and magnetisation of quasar jets, in the context of theoretical expectations. The discussion is focused on issues regarding the jet production efficiency, matter content, and particle acceleration. I show that if the ratio of electron-positron-pairs to protons is of order $15$, as is required to achieve agreement between jet powers computed using blazar spectral fits and those computed using radio-lobe calorimetry, the magnetization of blazar jets in flat-spectrum-radio-quasars (FSRQ) must be significant. This result favors the reconnection mechanism for particle acceleration and explains the large Compton-dominance of blazar spectra that is often observed, without the need to postulate very low jet magnetization.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Covering factors of the dusty obscurers in radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars

We compare covering factors of circumnuclear dusty obscurers in radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars. The radio-loud quasars are represented by a sample of FR II quasars obtained by cross-matching a catalog of the FR II radio sources selected by van Velzen et al. with the SDSS DR7 catalog of quasars. Covering factors of FR II quasars are compared with covering factors of the radio-quiet quasars matched with them in redshift, black hole mass, and Eddington-ratio. We found that covering factors, proxied by the infrared-to-bolometric luminosity ratio, are on average slightly smaller in FR II quasars than in radio-quiet quasars, however, this difference is statistically significant only for the highest Eddington ratios. For both samples, no statistically significant dependence of a median covering factor on Eddington ratio, black hole mass, nor redshift can be claimed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

A spine-sheath model for strong-line blazars

We have developed a quasi-analytical model for the production of radiation in strong-line blazars, assuming a spine-sheath jet structure. The model allows us to study how the spine and sheath spectral components depend on parameters describing the geometrical and physical structure of "the blazar zone". We show that typical broad-band spectra of strong-line blazars can be reproduced by assuming the magnetization parameter to be of order unity and reconnection to be the dominant dissipation mechanism. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the spine-sheath model can explain why gamma-ray variations are often observed to have much larger amplitudes than the corresponding optical variations. The model is also less demanding of jet power than one-zone models, and can reproduce the basic features of extreme gamma-ray events.

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arXiv2015

Application of the spine-layer jet radiation model to outbursts in the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 120

We present a detailed Fermi/LAT data analysis for the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 120. This source has recently entered into a state of increased gamma-ray activity which manifested itself in two major flares detected by Fermi/LAT in September 2014 and April 2015 with no significant flux changes reported in other wavelengths. We analyse available data focusing our attention on aforementioned outbursts. We find very fast variability timescale during flares (of the order of hours) together with a significant gamma-ray flux increase. We show that the 6.8 years averaged gamma-ray emission of 3C 120 is likely a sum of the external radiation Compton and the synchrotron self-Compton radiative components. To address the problem of "orphan" gamma-ray flares and fast variability we model the jet radiation dividing the jet structure into two components: the wide and relatively slow outer layer and the fast, narrow spine. We show that with the addition of the fast spine occasionally bent towards the observer we are able to explain observed spectral energy distribution of 3C 120 during flares with the Compton up-scattered broad-line region and dusty torus photons as main gamma-rays emission mechanism.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Time-Dependent Modeling of Gamma-ray Flares in Blazar PKS1510-089

Here we present a new approach for constraining luminous blazars, incorporating fully time-dependent and self-consistent modeling of bright gamma-ray flares of PKS1510-089 resolved with Fermi-LAT, in the framework of the internal shock scenario. The results of our modeling imply the location of the gamma-ray flaring zone outside of the broad-line region, namely around 0.3pc from the core for a free-expanding jet with the opening angle Gamma, θ_\mathrm{jet} \simeq 1 (where Gamma is the jet bulk Lorentz factor), up to \simeq 3pc for a collimated outflow with Gamma, θ_\mathrm{jet} \simeq 0.1. Moreover, under the Gamma, θ_\mathrm{jet} \simeq 1 condition, our modeling indicates the maximum efficiency of the jet production during the flares, with the total jet energy flux strongly dominated by protons and exceeding the available accretion power in the source. This is in contrast to the quiescence states of the blazar, characterized by lower jet kinetic power and an approximate energy equipartition between different plasma constituents. We demostrate how strictly simultaneous observations of flaring PKS1510-089 at optical, X-ray, and GeV photon energies on hourly timescales, augmented by extensive simulations as presented in this paper, may help to impose further precise constraints on the magnetization and opening angle of the emitting region. Our detailed modeling implies in addition that a non-uniformity of the Doppler factor across the jet, caused by the radial expansion of the outflow, may lead to a pronounced time distortion in the observed gamma-ray light curves, resulting in particular in asymmetric flux profiles with substantially extended decay phases.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Core shifts, magnetic fields and magnetization of extragalactic jets

We study the effect of radio-jet core shift, which is a dependence of the position of the jet radio core on the observational frequency. We derive a new method of measuring the jet magnetic field based on both the value of the shift and the observed radio flux, which complements the standard method that assumes equipartition. Using both methods, we re-analyse the blazar sample of Zamaninasab et al. We find that equipartition is satisfied only if the jet opening angle in the radio core region is close to the values found observationally, $\simeq$0.1--0.2 divided by the bulk Lorentz factor, $Γ_{\rm j}$. Larger values, e.g., $1/Γ_{\rm j}$, would imply magnetic fields much above equipartition. A small jet opening angle implies in turn the magnetization parameter of $\ll 1$. We determine the jet magnetic flux taking into account this effect. We find that the transverse-averaged jet magnetic flux is fully compatible with the model of jet formation due to BH spin energy extraction and the accretion being a magnetically arrested disc (MAD). We calculate the jet average mass-flow rate corresponding to this model and find it consists of a substantial fraction of the mass accretion rate. This suggests the jet composition with a large fraction of baryons. We also calculate the average jet power, and find it moderately exceeds the accretion power, $\dot M c^2$, reflecting BH spin energy extraction. We find our results for radio galaxies at low Eddington ratios are compatible with MADs but require a low radiative efficiency, as predicted by standard accretion models.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Magnetization of jets in luminous blazars

Luminosities of many powerful blazars are strongly dominated by $γ$-rays which most likely result from Comptonization of radiation produced outside a jet. This observation sets certain constraints on composition and energetics of the jet as well as the surrounding quasar environment. We study the dependence of a Compton dominance on a jet magnetization (the magnetic-to-matter energy flux) and on the location of the 'blazar zone'. Calculations are performed for two geometries of broad-emission-line and hot-dust regions: spherical and planar. The jet magnetization corresponding to the large observed Compton dominance is found to be $\sim 0.1 (θ_{\rm j} Γ)^2$ for spherical geometries and $\sim 0.01 (θ_{\rm j} Γ)^2$ for planar geometries, where $θ_{\rm j}$ is the jet half-opening angle and $Γ$ is the jet Lorentz factor. This implies that jets in luminous blazars are matter dominated and that this domination is particularly strong for the flattened geometry of external radiation sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Reconciling models of luminous blazars with magnetic fluxes determined by radio core shift measurements

Estimates of magnetic field strength in relativistic jets of active galactic nuclei (AGN), obtained by measuring the frequency-dependent radio core location, imply that the total magnetic fluxes in those jets are consistent with the predictions of the magnetically-arrested disk (MAD) scenario of jet formation. On the other hand, the magnetic field strength determines the luminosity of the synchrotron radiation, which forms the low-energy bump of the observed blazar spectral energy distribution (SED). The SEDs of the most powerful blazars are strongly dominated by the high-energy bump, which is most likely due to the external radiation Compton (ERC) mechanism. This high Compton dominance may be difficult to reconcile with the MAD scenario, unless 1) the geometry of external radiation sources (broad-line region, hot-dust torus) is quasi-spherical rather than flat, or 2) most gamma-ray radiation is produced in jet regions of low magnetization, e.g., in magnetic reconnection layers or in fast jet spines.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Constraining the Location of Gamma-Ray Flares in Luminous Blazars

Locating the gamma-ray emission sites in blazar jets is a long-standing and highly controversial issue. We investigate jointly several constraints on the distance scale r and Lorentz factor Gamma of the gamma-ray emitting regions in luminous blazars (primarily flat spectrum radio quasars, FSRQs). Working in the framework of one-zone external radiation Comptonization (ERC) models, we perform a parameter space study for several representative cases of actual gamma-ray flares in their multiwavelength context. We find a particularly useful combination of three constraints: from an upper limit on the collimation parameter Gamma*theta <~ 1, from an upper limit on the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) luminosity L_SSC <~ L_X, and from an upper limit on the efficient cooling photon energy E_cool,obs <~ 100 MeV. These three constraints are particularly strong for sources with low accretion disk luminosity L_d. The commonly used intrinsic pair-production opacity constraint on Gamma is usually much weaker than the SSC constraint. The SSC and cooling constraints provide a robust lower limit on the collimation parameter Gamma*theta >~ 0.1 - 0.7. Typical values of r corresponding to moderate values of Gamma ~ 20 are in the range 0.1 - 1 pc, and are determined primarily by the observed variability time scale t_var,obs. Alternative scenarios motivated by the observed gamma-ray/mm connection, in which gamma-ray flares of t_var,obs ~ a few days are located at r ~ 10 pc, are in conflict with both the SSC and cooling constraints. Moreover, we use a simple light travel time argument to point out that the gamma-ray/mm connection does not provide a significant constraint on the location of gamma-ray flares. We argue that spine-sheath models of the jet structure do not offer a plausible alternative to external radiation fields at large distances, however, an extended broad-line region is an idea worth exploring.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Jet contributions to the broad-band spectrum of Cyg X-1 in the hard state

We apply the jet model developed in the preceding paper of Zdziarski et al. to the hard-state emission spectra of Cyg X-1. We augment the model for the analytical treatment of the particle evolution beyond the energy dissipation region, and allow for various forms of the acceleration rate. We calculate the resulting electron and emission spectra as functions of the jet height, along with the emission spectra integrated over the outflow. The model accounts well for the observed radio, infrared, and GeV fluxes of the source, although the available data do not provide unique constraints on the model free parameters. The contribution of the jet emission in the UV--to--X-ray range turns out to be in all the cases negligible compared to the radiative output of the accretion component. Nevertheless, we find out that it is possible to account for the observed flux of Cyg X-1 at MeV energies by synchrotron jet emission, in accord with the recent claims of the detection of strong linear polarization of the source in that range. However, this is possible only assuming a very efficient particle acceleration leading to the formation of flat electron spectra, and jet magnetic fields much above the equipartition level.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Jet models for black-hole binaries in the hard spectral state

This is part one of our study of models of jets with distributed electron acceleration. We present here our assumptions, basic equations, and their solutions for the steady-state electron distribution. We assume the shape of the rate of electron acceleration and the dependencies of its normalization and the magnetic field strength on the height along the jet. Our focus is on the hard spectral state of black-hole binaries, for which we take into account that their typical radio spectra are flat. This appears to require a constant dissipation rate per unit logarithmic length and conservation of the magnetic energy flux. Our electron kinetic equation includes adiabatic and radiative losses and advection, and our photon radiative transfer equation includes synchrotron absorption and emission and Compton emission. Apart from the self-Compton process, we take into account Compton scattering of stellar and accretion photons and absorption of very-high energy gamma-rays by pair production on soft photons. We present a general solution of the kinetic equation with advection and radiative and adiabatic losses and an analytic solution in the case of dominant synchrotron losses in conical jets. In the following paper, we present detailed spectra resulting from our equations as applied to Cyg X-1.

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