scholarly journals Relation between winds and jets in radio-loud AGN

2019 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. A25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Missagh Mehdipour ◽  
Elisa Costantini

We have investigated the relation between the two modes of outflow (wind and jet) in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). For this study we have carried out a systematic and homogeneous analysis of XMM-Newton spectra of a sample of 16 suitable radio-loud Seyfert-1 AGN. The ionised winds in these AGN are parameterised through high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and photoionisation modelling. We discover a significant inverse correlation between the column density NH of the ionised wind and the radio-loudness parameter R of the jet. We explored different possible explanations for this NH-R relation and find that ionisation, inclination, and luminosity effects are unlikely to be responsible for the observed relation. We argue that the NH-R relation is rather a manifestation of the magnetic driving mechanism of the wind from the accretion disc. Change in the magnetic field configuration from toroidal to poloidal, powering either the wind or the jet mode of the outflow, is the most feasible explanation for the observed decline in the wind NH as the radio jet becomes stronger. Our findings provide evidence for a wind-jet bimodality in radio-loud AGN and shine new light on the link between these two modes of outflow. This has far-reaching consequences for the accretion disc structure and the wind ejection mechanism.

Author(s):  
Bobur Turimov

Astrophysical accretion processes near the black hole candidates, such as active galactic nuclei (AGN), X-ray binary (XRB), and other astrophysical sources, are associated with high-energetic emission of radiation of relativistic particles and outflows (winds and/or jets). It is widely believed that the magnetic field plays a very important role to explain such high energetic processes in the vicinity of those astrophysical sources. In the present research note, we propose that the black hole is embedded in an asymptotically uniform magnetic field. We investigate the dynamical motion of charged particles in the vicinity of a weakly magnetized black hole. We show that in the presence of the magnetic field, the radius of the innermost stable circular orbits (ISCO) for a charged particle is located close to the black hole’s horizon. The fundamental frequencies, such as Keplerian and epicyclic frequencies of the charged particle are split into two parts due to the magnetic field, as an analog of the Zeeman effect. The orbital velocity of the charged particle measured by a local observer has been computed in the presence of the external magnetic field. We also present an analytical expression for the four-acceleration of the charged particle orbiting around black holes. Finally, we determine the intensity of the radiating charged accelerating relativistic particle orbiting around the magnetized black hole.


2010 ◽  
Vol 408 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Pierce ◽  
J. M. Lotz ◽  
S. Salim ◽  
E. S. Laird ◽  
A. L. Coil ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 626 ◽  
pp. A40 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Panagiotou ◽  
R. Walter

Context. The hard X-ray emission of active galactic nuclei (AGN), and in particular, the reflection component, is shaped by the innermost and outer regions of the galactic nucleus. Aims. Our main goal is to investigate the variation of the Compton hump amongst a population of sources and correlate it with other spectral properties to constrain the source geometry. Methods. We studied the NuSTAR hard X-ray spectra of a sample of 83 AGN and performed a detailed spectral analysis of each of them. Based on their spectral shape, we divided the sample into five categories and also studied their stacked spectra. Results. We found a stronger reflection in mildly obscured sources, which verifies the results reported in previous works. In addition, the reflection behaviour, and probably origin, varies with absorption. The accretion disc seems to be the main reflector in unabsorbed sources. A clumpy torus seems to produce most of the reflection in obscured sources. The filling factor of the clouds surrounding the active nucleus is a key parameter that drives the appearance of AGN. Finally, we found that the Fe line and the Compton hump are roughly correlated, as expected.


2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. L5 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Zappacosta ◽  
E. Piconcelli ◽  
M. Giustini ◽  
G. Vietri ◽  
F. Duras ◽  
...  

Hyper-luminous quasars (Lbol ≳ 1047 erg s−1) are ideal laboratories to study the interaction and impact of the extreme radiative field and the most powerful winds in the active galactic nuclei (AGN) nuclear regions. They typically exhibit low coronal X-ray luminosity (LX) compared to the ultraviolet (UV) and mid-infrared (MIR) radiative outputs (LUV and LUV); a non-negligible fraction of them report even ∼1 dex weaker LX compared to the prediction of the well established LX–LUV and LX–LUV relations followed by the bulk of the AGN population. In our WISE/SDSS-selected Hyper-luminous (WISSH) z = 2 − 4 broad-line quasar sample, we report on the discovery of a dependence between the intrinsic 2–10 keV luminosity (L2 − 10) and the blueshifted velocity of the CIV emission line (vCIV) that is indicative of accretion disc winds. In particular, sources with the fastest winds (vCIV ≳ 3000 km s−1) possess ∼0.5–1 dex lower L2 − 10 than sources with negligible vCIV. No similar dependence is found on LUV, LUV, Lbol, the photon index, or the absorption column density. We interpret these findings in the context of accretion disc wind models. Both magnetohydrodynamic and line-driven models can qualitatively explain the reported relations as a consequence of X-ray shielding from the inner wind regions. In case of line-driven winds, the launch of fast winds is favoured by a reduced X-ray emission, and we speculate that these winds may play a role in directly limiting the coronal hard X-ray production.


2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (3) ◽  
pp. 3373-3386
Author(s):  
Savithri H Ezhikode ◽  
Gulab C Dewangan ◽  
Ranjeev Misra ◽  
Ninan Sajeeth Philip

ABSTRACT The primary X-ray emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs), described by a power-law, irradiates the accretion disc producing reflection features in the spectrum. The reflection features arising from the inner regions of the disc can be significantly modified by the relativistic effects near the black hole. We investigate the relationship between the relativistic reflection fraction Rf, defined as the ratio of the coronal intensity that illuminates the accretion disc to the coronal intensity observed directly, and the hard X-ray photon index Γ of a Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) sample of Seyfert 1 galaxies. The X-ray spectra are modelled using relxill code that helps to directly obtain the reflection fraction of a relativistically smeared reflection component. The parameter Rf depends on the amount of Comptonized X-ray emission intercepted by the inner accretion disc. We found a positive correlation between Γ and Rf in our sample. Seed photons from a larger area of an accretion disc entering the corona will result in increased cooling of the coronal plasma, giving rise to steeper X-ray spectrum. The corona irradiating the larger area of the disc will result in higher reflection fraction. Thus, the observed Rf –Γ relation is most likely related to the variations in the disc–corona geometry of AGNs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (34) ◽  
pp. 1845016
Author(s):  
Milan Milošević ◽  
Miika A. Pursiainen ◽  
Predrag Jovanović ◽  
Luka Č. Popović

The relativistically broadened Fe K[Formula: see text] line, originating from the accretion disc in a vicinity of a super massive black hole, is observed in only less than 50% of type 1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). In this study, we investigate could this lack of detections be explained by the effects of certain parameters of the accretion disc and black hole, such as the inclination, the inner and outer radius of disc and emissivity index. In order to determine how these parameters affect the Fe K[Formula: see text] line shape, we simulated about 60,000 Fe K[Formula: see text] line profiles emitted from the relativistic disc. Based on simulated line profiles, we conclude that the lack of the Fe K[Formula: see text] line detection in type 1 AGN could be caused by the specific emitting disc parameters, but also by the limits in the spectral resolution and sensitivity of the X-ray detectors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J K Buisson ◽  
D Altamirano ◽  
M Díaz Trigo ◽  
M Mendez ◽  
M Armas Padilla ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We find soft X-ray emission lines from the X-ray binary Swift J1858.6–0814 in data from XMM–NewtonReflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS): N vii, O vii, and O viii, as well as notable residuals short of a detection at Ne ix and other higher ionization transitions. These could be associated with the disc atmosphere, as in accretion disc corona sources, or with a wind, as has been detected in Swift J1858.6–0814 in emission lines at optical wavelengths. Indeed, the N vii line is redshifted, consistent with being the emitting component of a P-Cygni profile. We find that the emitting plasma has an ionization parameter log (ξ) = 1.35 ± 0.2 and a density n > 1.5 × 1011 cm−3. From this, we infer that the emitting plasma must be within 1013 cm of the ionizing source, ∼5 × 107 rg for a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star, and from the line width that it is at least 104 rg away [2 × 109(M/1.4 M⊙) cm]. We compare this with known classes of emission-line regions in other X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei.


1997 ◽  
Vol 487 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Bao ◽  
Petr Hadrava ◽  
Paul J. Wiita ◽  
Ying Xiong

Galaxies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Yoshiyuki Inoue ◽  
Dmitry Khangulyan ◽  
Akihiro Doi

To explain the X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN), non-thermal activity in AGN coronae such as pair cascade models has been extensively discussed in the past literature. Although X-ray and gamma-ray observations in the 1990s disfavored such pair cascade models, recent millimeter-wave observations of nearby Seyferts have established the existence of weak non-thermal coronal activity. In addition, the IceCube collaboration reported NGC 1068, a nearby Seyfert, as the hottest spot in their 10 yr survey. These pieces of evidence are enough to investigate the non-thermal perspective of AGN coronae in depth again. This article summarizes our current observational understanding of AGN coronae and describes how AGN coronae generate high-energy particles. We also provide ways to test the AGN corona model with radio, X-ray, MeV gamma ray, and high-energy neutrino observations.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document