Jet spectra in FR I radio galaxies: implications for particle acceleration

Thumbnail Image

Date

Authors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Description

We describe very accurate imaging of radio spectral index for the inner jets in three FR I radio galaxies. Where the jets first brighten, there is a remarkably small dispersion around a spectral index of 0.62. This is also the region where bright X-ray emission is detected. Further from the nucleus, the spectral index flattens slightly to 0.50 - 0.55 and X-ray emission, although still detectable, is fainter relative to the radio. The brightest X-ray emission from the jets is therefore not associated with the flattest radio spectra, but rather with some particle-acceleration process whose characteristic energy index is 2.24. The change in spectral index occurs roughly where our relativistic jet models require rapid deceleration. Flatter-spectrum edges can be seen where the jets are isolated from significant surrounding diffuse emission and we suggest that these are associated with shear.
5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Extragalactic Jets: Theory and Observation from Radio to Gamma Ray, T. A. Rector and D. S. De Young (eds.), ASP Conference Series

Keywords

Astrophysics

Citation

URI

http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/145119

Consulte el texto completo en el siguiente enlace:

https://arxiv.org/abs/0801.0154
 http://arxiv.org/abs/0801.0154

Collections

arXiv