0000000000541856
AUTHOR
Manel Perucho
The evolution of the large-scale emission in Fanaroff-Riley type I jets
Recent observations in X-rays and gamma-rays of nearby Fanaroff-Riley type I (FR I) radio galaxies have raised the question of the origin of the emission detected in the termination structures of their jets. The study of these structures can give information on the conditions for particle acceleration and radiation at the front shocks. In addition, an evolutionary scenario can help to disentangle the origin of the detected X-ray emission in young FR I sources, like some gigahertz peaked spectrum active galactic nuclei. This work focuses on the nature and detectability of the radiation seen from the termination regions of evolving FR I jets. We use the results of a relativistic, two-dimensio…
Multi-frequency properties of synthetic blazar radio light curves within the shock-in-jet scenario
Blazars are among the most powerful extragalactic objects, as a sub-class of active galactic nuclei. They launch relativistic jets and their emitted radiation shows strong variability across the entire electro-magnetic spectrum. The mechanisms producing the variability are still controversial and different models have been proposed to explain the observed variations in multi-frequency blazar light curves.We investigate the capabilities of the classical shock-in-jet model to explain and reconstruct the observed evolution of flares in the turnover frequency turnover flux density plane and their frequency-dependent light curve parameters. With a detailed parameter space study we provide the fr…
Evidence for shock-shock interaction in the jet of CTA 102
We have found evidence for interaction between a standing and a traveling shock in the jet of the blazar CTA 102. Our result is based in the study of the spectral evolution of the turnover frequency-turnover flux density plane. The radio/mm light curves were taken during a major radio outburst in April 2006.
Radio source evolution
Baldwin (1982) wrote that “the distribution of sources in the radio luminosity, P, overall physical size, D, diagram” could be considered as “the radio astronomer's H-R diagram”. However, unlike the case of stars, not only the intrinsic properties of the jets, but also those of the host galaxy and the intergalactic medium are relevant to explain the evolutionary tracks of radio radio sources. In this contribution I review the current status of our understanding of the evolution of radio sources from a theoretical and numerical perspective, using the P -D diagram as a framework. An excess of compact (linear size ≤10 kpc) sources could be explained by low-power jets being decelerated within t…
Coupling hydrodynamics and radiation calculations for star-jet interactions in AGN
Stars and their winds can contribute to the non-thermal (NT) emission in extragalactic jets. Given the complexity of jet-star interactions, the properties of the resulting emission are strongly linked to those of the emitting flows. We simulate the interaction between a stellar wind and a relativistic extragalactic jet and use the hydrodynamic results to compute the NT emission under different conditions. We perform relativistic axisymmetric hydrodynamical simulations of a relativistic jet interacting with a supersonic, non-relativistic stellar wind. We compute the corresponding streamlines out of the simulation results, and calculate the injection, evolution, and emission of NT particles a…
The nature of extragalactic radio-jets from high-resolution radio-interferometric observations
Extragalactic jets are a common feature of radio-loud active galaxies. The nature of the observed jets in relation to the bulk flow is still unclear. In particular it is not clear whether the observations of parsec-scale jets using the very long baseline interferometric technique (VLBI) reveal wave-like structures that develop and propagate along the jet, or trace the jet flow itself. In this contribution I review the evidence collected during the last years showing that the ridge-lines of helical radio-jets do not correspond to observational artifacts. This conclusion was reached by studying a number of VLBI observations of the radio jet in the quasar S5~0836+710 at different frequencies a…
Radio mode feedback: Does relativity matter?
Radio mode feedback, associated with the propagation of powerful outflows in active galaxies, is a crucial ingredient in galaxy evolution. Extragalactic jets are well collimated and relativistic, both in terms of thermodynamics and kinematics. They generate strong shocks in the ambient medium, associated with observed hotspots, and carve cavities that are filled with the shocked jet flow. In this Letter, we compare the pressure evolution in the hotspot and the cavity generated by relativistic and classical jets. Our results show that the classical approach underestimates the cavity pressure by a factor larger or equal to 2 for a given shocked volume during the whole active phase. The tensio…
3D simulations of wind-jet interaction in massive X-ray binaries
High-mass microquasars may produce jets that will strongly interact with surrounding stellar winds on binary system spatial scales. We study the dynamics of the collision between a mildly relativistic hydrodynamical jet of supersonic nature and the wind of an OB star. We performed numerical 3D simulations of jets that cross the stellar wind with the code Ratpenat. The jet head generates a strong shock in the wind, and strong recollimation shocks occur due to the initial overpressure of the jet with its environment. These shocks can accelerate particles up to TeV energies and produce gamma-rays. The recollimation shock also strengthens jet asymmetric Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities produced i…
VLBA polarimetric monitoring of 3C 111
Context. While studies of large samples of jets of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are important in order to establish a global picture, dedicated single-source studies are an invaluable tool for probing crucial processes within jets on parsec scales. These processes involve in particular the formation and geometry of the jet magnetic field as well as the flow itself. Aims. We aim to better understand the dynamics within relativistic magneto-hydrodynamical flows in the extreme environment and close vicinity of supermassive black holes. Methods. We analyze the peculiar radio galaxy 3C 111, for which long-Term polarimetric observations are available. We make use of the high spatial resolution of…
Resonant Kelvin-Helmholtz modes in sheared relativistic flows
Qualitatively new aspects of the (linear and non-linear) stability of sheared relativistic (slab) jets are analyzed. The linear problem has been solved for a wide range of jet models well inside the ultrarelativistic domain (flow Lorentz factors up to 20; specific internal energies $\approx 60c^2$). As a distinct feature of our work, we have combined the analytical linear approach with high-resolution relativistic hydrodynamical simulations, which has allowed us i) to identify, in the linear regime, resonant modes specific to the relativistic shear layer ii) to confirm the result of the linear analysis with numerical simulations and, iii) more interestingly, to follow the instability develo…
On the deceleration of Fanaroff–Riley Class I jets: mass loading by stellar winds
Jets in low-luminosity radio galaxies are known to decelerate from relativistic speeds on parsec scales to mildly or sub-relativistic speeds on kiloparsec scales. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this effect, including strong reconfinement shocks and the growth of instabilities (both leading to boundary-layer entrainment) and mass loading from stellar winds or molecular clouds. We have performed a series of axisymmetric simulations of the early evolution of jets in a realistic ambient medium to probe the effects of mass loading from stellar winds using the code Ratpenat. We study the evolution of Fanaroff-Riley Class I (FRI) jets, with kinetic powers L_j \sim 1.e41-1.e44 erg…
Intracluster Medium reheating by relativistic jets
Galactic jets are powerful energy sources reheating the intra-cluster medium in galaxy clusters. Their crucial role in the cosmic puzzle, motivated by observations, has been established by a great number of numerical simulations missing the relativistic nature of these jets. We present the first relativistic simulations of the very long term evolution of realistic galactic jets. Unexpectedly, our results show no buoyant bubbles, but large cocoon regions compatible with the observed X-ray cavities. The reheating is more efficient and faster than in previous scenarios, and it is produced by the shock wave driven by the jet, that survives for several hundreds of Myrs. Therefore, the X-ray cavi…
Kinetic power of quasars and statistical excess of MOJAVE superluminal motions
The MOJAVE survey contains 101 quasars with a total of 354 observed radio components that are different from the radio cores, among which 95% move with apparent projected superluminal velocities with respect to the core, and 45% have projected velocities larger than 10c (with a maximum velocity 60c). Doppler boosting effects are analyzed to determine the statistics of the superluminal motions. We integrate over all possible values of the Lorentz factor the values of the kinetic energy corresponding to each component. The calculation of the mass in the ejection is carried out by assuming the minimum energy state. This kinetic energy is multiplied by the frequency at which the portions of the…
The termination region of high-mass microquasar jets
The environment of high-mass X-ray binaries can be characterized either by the SNR that forms these systems, or by the wind from the companion massive star. These regions should be tenuous but very hot, and surrounded by a dense and cold shocked ISM shell. The interaction between the jet and such a complex medium, also affected by the system proper motion, can lead to very different jet termination structures. The evolution of the jet termination regions during the life of a high-mass microquasar is simulated to improve the present understanding of these structures. Also, the evolving emission characteristics are modeled to inform potential observational campaigns for this class of object. …
Catching the radio flare in CTA 102
Context: The blazar CTA 102 (z=1.037) underwent a historical radio outburst in April 2006. This event offered a unique chance to study the physical properties of the jet. Aims: We used multifrequency radio and mm observations to analyze the evolution of the spectral parameters during the flare as a test of the shock-in-jet model under these extreme conditions. Methods: For the analysis of the flare we took into account that the flaring spectrum is superimposed on a quiescent spectrum. We reconstructed the latter from archival data and fitted a synchrotron self-absorbed distribution of emission. The uncertainties of the derived spectral parameters were calculated using Monte Carlo simulation…
The Highly Collimated Radio Jet of HH 80–81: Structure and Nonthermal Emission
Radio emission from protostellar jets is usually dominated by free-free emission from thermal electrons. However, in some cases, it has been proposed that non-thermal emission could also be present. This additional contribution from non-thermal emission has been inferred through negative spectral indices at centimeter wavelengths in some regions of the radio jets. In the case of HH 80-81, one of the most powerful protostellar jets known, linearly polarized emission has also been detected, revealing that the non-thermal emission is of synchrotron nature from a population of relativistic particles in the jet. This result implies that an acceleration mechanism should be taking place in some pa…
Models dinàmics de competició entre llengües, aplicats al cas català-castellà, al País Valencià
Antecedents: l'any 2003 Abrams i Strogatz van publicar un article en la revista Nature, sobre models dinàmics de la desaparició de les llengües. Dos anys més tard Mira i Paredes van esmenar el model proposat pels autors anteriors. Mètode: en aquest article es presenta una recerca inicial de la dinàmica de l'evolució del procés de substitució lingüística al País Valencià a partir de models matemàtics d'equacions diferencials. En particular, discutim l'aplicació dels models esmentats anteriorment a dades empíriques obtingudes d'enquestes realitzades pel Servici d'Investigació i Estudis Sociolingüístics (SIES) de la Generalitat Valenciana i per l'Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (AVL). En el …
Imaging strong blazars with space VLBI
Abstract The RadioAstron mission has obtained a series of detailed multi-frequency images of the brightest blazars of the radio sky concentrated in three key science programs. We present here results of the program on powerful jets in blazars. In the first two years of the mission, observations of compact relativistic jets in 0836+710, 3C 345, 3C 273, and 4C +69.21 were made at λ λ 18, 6, and 1.3 cm. The resulting images have revealed compact emitting regions with brightness temperature in excess of 10 13 K and a complex jet structure that can be explained by plasma instability developing in a relativistic outflow. We present here some highlights of these space-VLBI observations, designed…
Jet-torus connection in radio galaxies
High-resolution Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry observations of active galactic nuclei have revealed asymmetric structures in the jets of radio galaxies. These asymmetric structures may be due to internal asymmetries in the jet, could be induced by the different conditions in the surrounding ambient medium including the obscuring torus, or a combination of the two. In this paper we investigate the influence of the ambient medium (including the obscuring torus) on the observed properties of jets from radio galaxies. We performed special-relativistic hydrodynamic (RHD) simulations of over-pressured and pressure-matched jets using the special-relativistic hydrodynamics code \texttt{Ratpenat}…
The impact of red giant/AGB winds on AGN jet propagation
Dense stellar winds may mass-load the jets of active galactic nuclei, although it is unclear what are the time and spatial scales in which the mixing takes place. We study the first steps of the interaction between jets and stellar winds, and also the scales at which the stellar wind may mix with the jet and mass-load it. We present a detailed two-dimensional simulation, including thermal cooling, of a bubble formed by the wind of a star. We also study the first interaction of the wind bubble with the jet using a three-dimensional simulation in which the star enters the jet. Stability analysis is carried out for the shocked wind structure, to evaluate the distances over which the jet-dragge…
Total and linearly polarized synchrotron emission from overpressured magnetized relativistic jets
We present relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations of stationary overpressured magnetized relativistic jets, which are characterized by their dominant type of energy: internal, kinetic, or magnetic. Each model is threaded by a helical magnetic field with a pitch angle of 45° and features a series of recollimation shocks produced by the initial pressure mismatch, whose strength and number varies as a function of the dominant type of energy. We perform a study of the polarization signatures from these models by integrating the radiative transfer equations for synchrotron radiation using as inputs the RMHD solutions. These simulations show a top-down emission asymmetry produced by …
Spectral evolution of flaring blazars from numerical simulations
High resolution Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) revealed traveling and stationary or quasi-stationary radio-components in several blazar jets. The traveling ones are in general interpreted as shock waves generated by pressure perturbations injected at the jet nozzle. The stationary features can be interpreted as recollimation shocks in non-pressure matched jets if they show a quasi-symmetric bump in the spectral index distribution. In some jets there may be interactions between the two kinds of shocks. These shock--shock interactions are observable with VLBI techniques, and their signature should also be imprinted on the single--dish lig…
On the location of the supermassive black hole in CTA102
Relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei represent one of the most powerful phenomena in the Universe. They form in the surroundings of the supermassive black holes as a by-product of accretion onto the central black hole in active galaxies. The flow in the jets propagates at velocities close to the speed of light. The distance between the first part of the jet that is visible in radio images (core) and the black hole is still a matter of debate. Only very-long-baseline interferometry observations resolve the innermost compact regions of the radio jet. Those can access the jet base, and combining data at different wavelenghts, address the physical parameters of the outflow from its emiss…
Stability of three-dimensional relativistic jets: implications for jet collimation
The stable propagation of jets in FRII sources is remarkable if one takes into account that large-scale jets are subjected to potentially highly disruptive three-dimensional (3D) Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. Numerical simulations can address this problem and help clarify the causes of this remarkable stability. Following previous studies of the stability of relativistic flows in two dimensions (2D), it is our aim to test and extend the conclusions of such works to three dimensions. We present numerical simulations for the study of the stability properties of 3D, sheared, relativistic flows. This work uses a fully parallelized code Ratpenat that solves equations of relativistic hydrodynam…
A Highly Magnetized Twin-Jet Base Pinpoints a Supermassive Black Hole
Supermassive black holes (SMBH) are essential for the production of jets in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). Theoretical models based on Blandford & Znajek extract the rotational energy from a Kerr black hole, which could be the case for NGC1052, to launch these jets. This requires magnetic fields of the order of $10^3\,$G to $10^4\,$G. We imaged the vicinity of the SMBH of the AGN NGC1052 with the Global Millimetre VLBI Array and found a bright and compact central feature, smaller than 1.9 light days (100 Schwarzschild radii) in radius. Interpreting this as a blend of the unresolved jet bases, we derive the magnetic field at 1 Schwarzschild radius to lie between 200 G and ~8000…
Coupling hydrodynamics and radiation calculations for star-jet interactions in active galactic nuclei
Context. Stars and their winds can contribute to the non-thermal emission in extragalactic jets. Because of the complexity of jet-star interactions, the properties of the resulting emission are closely linked to those of the emitting flows. Aims. We simulate the interaction between a stellar wind and a relativistic extragalactic jet and use the hydrodynamic results to compute the non-thermal emission under different conditions. Methods. We performed relativistic axisymmetric hydrodynamical simulations of a relativistic jet interacting with a supersonic, non-relativistic stellar wind. We computed the corresponding streamlines out of the simulation results and calculated the injection, evolut…
Large-scale jets from active galactic nuclei as a source of intracluster medium heating: cavities and shocks
The evolution of powerful extragalactic jets is not only interesting by itself, but also for its impact on the evolution of the host galaxy and its surroundings. We have performed long-term axisymmetric numerical simulations of relativistic jets with different powers to study their evolution through an environment with a pressure and density gradient. Our results show key differences in the evolution of jets with different powers in terms of the spatial and temporal scales of energy deposition. According to our results, the observed morphology in X-ray cavities requires that an important fraction of the jet’s energetic budget is in the form of internal energy. Thus, light, lepton-dominated …
Analytical and Numerical Studies of Fluid Instabilities in Relativistic Jets
Relativistic outflows represent one of the best-suited tools to probe the physics of AGN. Numerical modelling of internal structure of the relativistic outflows on parsec scales provides important clues about the conditions and dynamics of the material in the immediate vicinity of the central black holes in AGN. We investigate possible causes of the structural patterns and regularities observed in the parsec-scale jet of the well known quasar 3C 273. We compare the model with the radio structure observed in 3C 273 on parsec scales using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and constrain the basic properties of the flow. Our results show that Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are the most p…
Jets in high-mass microquasars
The morphologies of detected jets in X-ray binaries are almost as diverse as their number. This is due to different jet properties and ambient media that these jets encounter. It is important to understand the physics of these objects and to obtain information about possible sites suitable for particle acceleration in order to explain the observations at very high energies. Here I present the results obtained from the first relativistic hydrodynamical simulations of jets in high-mass microquasars. Our results allow us to make estimates for the emission originated in different sites of the whole structure generated by the jets. These works represent a first step in trying to obtain a deeper …
Derivation of the physical parameters of the jet in S5 0836+710 from stability analysis
A number of extragalactic jets show periodic structures at different scales that can be associated with growing instabilities. The wavelengths of the developing instability modes and their ratios depend on the flow parameters, so the study of those structures can shed light on jet physics at the scales involved. In this work, we use the fits to the jet ridgeline obtained from different observations of S5 B0836$+$710 and apply stability analysis of relativistic, sheared flows to derive an estimate of the physical parameters of the jet. Based on the assumption that the observed structures are generated by growing Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability modes, we have run numerical calculations of s…
Anatomy of helical relativistic jets: The case of S5 0836+710
Helical structures are common in extragalactic jets. They are usually attributed in the literature to periodical phenomena in the source (e.g., precession). In this work, we use VLBI data of the radio-jet in the quasar S5 0836+710 and hypothesize that the ridge-line of helical jets like this corresponds to a pressure maximum in the jet and assume that the helically twisted pressure maximum is the result of a helical wave pattern. For our study, we use observations of the jet in S5 0836+710 at different frequencies and epochs. The results show that the structures observed are physical and not generated artificially by the observing arrays. Our hypothesis that the observed intensity ridge-lin…
VLBI-selected sample of Compact Symmetric Object candidates and frequency-dependent position of hotspots
The Compact Symmetric Objects (CSOs) are small (<1 kiloparsec) and powerful extragalactic radio sources showing emission on both sides of an active galactic nucleus and no signs of strong relativistic beaming. They may be young radio sources, progenitors of large FRII radio galaxies. We aim to study the statistical properties of CSOs by constructing and investigating a new large sample of CSO candidates on the basis of dual-frequency, parsec-scale morphology. For the candidate selection we utilized VLBI data for 4170 extragalactic objects obtained simultaneously at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz (S and X band) within the VLBA Calibrator Survey 1-6 and the Research and Development - VLBA projects. Prope…
RadioAstron reveals a spine-sheath jet structure in 3C 273
We present Space-VLBI RadioAstron observations at 1.6 GHz and 4.8 GHz of the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 273, with detections on baselines up to 4.5 and 3.3 Earth Diameters, respectively. Achieving the best angular resolution at 1.6 GHz to date, we have imaged limb-brightening in the jet, not previously detected in this source. In contrast, at 4.8 GHz, we detected emission from a central stream of plasma, with a spatial distribution complementary to the limb-brightened emission, indicating an origin in the spine of the jet. While a stratification across the jet width in the flow density, internal energy, magnetic field, or bulk flow velocity are usually invoked to explain the limb-brighte…
Magnetized relativistic jets and helical magnetic fields
This is the first of a series of two papers that deepen our understanding of the transversal structure and the properties of recollimation shocks of axisymmetric, relativistic, superfast magnetosonic, overpressured jets. They extend previous work that characterized these properties in connection with the dominant type of energy (internal, kinetic, or magnetic) in the jet to models with helical magnetic fields with larger magnetic pitch angles and force-free magnetic fields. In this paper, the magnetohydrodynamical models were computed following an approach that allows studying the structure of steady, axisymmetric, relativistic (magnetized) flows using one-dimensional time-dependent simulat…
Orbital evolution of colliding star and pulsar winds in 2D and 3D; effects of: dimensionality, EoS, resolution, and grid size
(abridged)The structure formed by the shocked winds of a massive star and a non-accreting pulsar in a binary suffers periodic and random variations of orbital and non-linear dynamical origin. For the 1st time, we simulate in 3 D the interaction of isotropic stellar and relativistic pulsar winds along 1 full orbit, on scales well beyond the binary size. We also investigate the impact of grid resolution and size, and of different EoOs: a gamma-constant ideal gas, and an ideal gas with gamma dependent on temperature. We carry out, with the code PLUTO, relativistic HD simulations in 2 and 3 D of the interaction of a slow wind and a relativistic wind with Gamma=2 along 1 full orbit up to ~100 x …
Magnetized relativistic jets and helical magnetic fields: II. Radiation
This is the second of a series of two papers that deepen our understanding of the transversal structure and the properties of recollimation shocks of axisymmetric, relativistic, superfast magnetosonic, overpressured jets. They extend previous work that characterized these properties in connection with the dominant type of energy (internal, kinetic, or magnetic) in the jet to models with helical magnetic fields with larger magnetic pitch angles and force-free magnetic fields. In the first paper of this series, the magnetohydrodynamical models were computed following an approach that allows studying the structure of steady, axisymmetric, relativistic (magnetized) flows using one-dimensional t…
Simulation of Shock-Shock interaction in parsec-scale jets
The analysis of the radio light curves of the blazar CTA102 during its 2006 flare revealed a possible interaction between a standing shock wave and a traveling one. In order to better understand this highly non-linear process, we used a relativistic hydrodynamic code to simulate the high energy interaction and its related emission. The calculated synchrotron emission from these simulations showed an increase in turnover flux density, $S_{m}$, and turnover frequency, $\nu_{m}$, during the interaction and decrease to its initial values after the passage of the traveling shock wave.
JET PROPAGATION AND DECELERATION
Extragalactic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are divided into two morphological types, namely Fanaroff-Riley I (FRI) and Fanaroff-Riley II (FRII). The former show decollimated structure at the kiloparsec scales and are thought to be decelerated by entrainment within the first kiloparsecs of evolution inside the host galaxy. The entrainment and deceleration can be, at least partly, due to the interaction of jets with stellar winds and gas clouds that enter in the jet as they orbit around the galactic centre. In this contribution, I review recent simulations to study the dynamic effect of entrainment from stellar winds in jets and the direct interaction of jets with gas clouds and stell…
Long-term FRII jet evolution: Clues from three-dimensional simulations
We present a long-term numerical three-dimensional simulation of a relativistic outflow designed to be compared with previous results from axisymmetric, two-dimensional simulations, with existing analytical models and state-of-art observations. We follow the jet evolution from 1~kpc to 200~kpc, using a relativistic gas equation of state and a galactic profile for the ambient medium. We also show results from smaller scale simulations aimed to test convergence and different three-dimensional effects. We conclude that jet propagation can be faster than expected from axisymmetric simulations, covering tens of kiloparsecs in a few million years, until the dentist drill effect produced by the gr…
Multiband RadioAstron space VLBI imaging of the jet in quasar S5 0836+710
Open Access article, published by EDP Sciences, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.-- Open Access funding provided by Max Planck Society.
S5 0836+710: An FRII jet disrupted by the growth of a helical instability?
The remarkable stability of extragalactic jets is surprising, given the reasonable possibility of the growth of instabilities. In addition, much work in the literature has invoked this possibility in order to explain observed jet structures and obtain information from these structures. For example, it was recently shown that the observed helical structures in the jet in S5 0836+710 could be associated with helical pressure waves generated by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Our aim is to resolve the arc-second structure of the jet in the quasar S5 0836+710 and confirm the lack of a hot-spot (reverse jet-shock) found by present observing arrays, as this lack implies a loss of jet collimation be…
Consequences of a possible jet-star interaction in the inner central parsec of Centaurus A
The jet-counterjet system of the closest radio-loud active galaxy Centaurus A (Cen A) can be studied with Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) on unprecedented small linear scales of ~0.018pc. These high-resolution observations provide essential information on jet emission and propagation within the inner parsec of an AGN jet. We present the results of a kinematic study performed within the framework of the Southern-hemisphere AGN monitoring program TANAMI. Over 3.5years, the evolution of the central-parsec jet structure of Cen A was monitored with VLBI. These observations reveal complex jet dynamics which are well explained by a spine-sheath structure supported by the downstream accele…
Long-term simulations of extragalactic jets: cavities and feedback
AbstractWe present long-term numerical simulations of powerful extragalactic relativistic jets in two dimensions. The jets are injected in a realistic atmosphere with powers 1044, 1045 and 1046 erg/s, during tens of Myrs. After this time, the jet injection is switched off. We follow the evolution of the jets and associated shocks from 1 kpc to hundreds of kiloparsecs during more than 100 Myrs. The 1045 erg/s jet was simulated with leptonic and baryonic composition. Our results show that, for powerful jets, the main heating mechanisms are the driving shock-wave and mixing. We discuss the implications that these results have in the frame of cooling flows in clusters.
The role of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the internal structure of relativistic outflows. The case of the jet in 3C 273
Relativistic outflows represent one of the best-suited tools to probe the physics of AGN. Numerical modelling of internal structure of the relativistic outflows on parsec scales provides important clues about the conditions and dynamics of the material in the immediate vicinity of the central black holes in AGN. We investigate possible causes of the structural patterns and regularities observed in the parsec-scale jet of the well-known quasar 3C 273. We present here the results from a 3D relativistic hydrodynamics numerical simulation based on the parameters given for the jet by Lobanov & Zensus (2001), and one in which the effects of jet precession and the injection of discrete compone…
The termination region of high-mass microquasar jets(corrigendum)
1 Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 31 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, Ireland e-mail: valenti@cp.dias.ie 2 Dept. d’Astronomia i Astrofisica, Universitat de Valencia, C/ Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot (Valencia), Spain e-mail: Manel.Perucho@uv.es 3 Institut fur Astronomie und Astrophysik, Universitat Tubingen, Sand 1, 72076 Tubingen, Germany 4 INTEGRAL Science Data Centre, Universite de Geneve, Chemin d’Ecogia 16, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland e-mail: pol.bordas@uni-tuebingen.de
Stability of Relativistic Hydrodynamical Planar Jets: Linear and Nonlinear Evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz Modes
Some aspects about the stability of relativistic flows against Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) perturbations are studied by means of relativistic, hydrodynamical simulations. In particular, we analyze the transition to the fully nonlinear regime and the long-term evolution of two jet models with different specific internal energies.
Jet propagation through inhomogeneous media and shock ionization
In this contribution we present the first numerical simulations of a relativistic outflow propagating through the inner hundreds of parsecs of its host galaxy, including atomic and ionised hydrogen, and the cooling effects of ionisation. Our results are preliminary, but we observe efficient shock ionization of atomic hydrogen in interstellar clouds. The mean density of the interstellar medium in these initial simulations is lower than that expected in typical galaxies, which makes cooling times longer and thus no recombination is observed inside the shocked region. The velocities achieved by the shocked gas in the simulations are in agreement with observational results, although with a wide…
Linear theory of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability at a discontinuous surface of a relativistic flow
We address the linear stability of a discontinuous surface of a relativistic flow in the context of a jet that oscillates radially as it propagates. The restoring force of the oscillation is expected to drive a Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) at the interface between the jet and its cocoon. We perform a linear analysis and numerical simulations of the growth of the RTI in the transverse plane to the jet flow with a uniform acceleration. In this system, an inertia force due to the uniform acceleration acts as the restoring force for the oscillation. We find that not only the difference in the inertia between the two fluids separated by the interface but also the pressure at the interface h…
Millimeter VLBI of NGC 1052: Dynamics
The LINER galaxy NGC 1052 is an ideal target to study the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN), given its close distance of about 20 Mpc. The source was observed at 29 epochs from 2005 to 2009 with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 43 GHz. Here, we present a kinematic study of its twin-jet system from a subset of 9 epochs at 43 GHz carried out in 2005 and 2006, finding a bright central feature as the dynamic center. The resulting mean velocities of β = v / c = 0 . 46 ± 0 . 08 and β = 0 . 69 ± 0 . 02 for the western and eastern jet, respectively, give hints towards higher velocities in the eastern jet.
A sensitive study of the peculiar jet structure HST-1 in M87
To obtain a better understanding of the location and mechanisms for the production of the gamma-ray emission in jets of AGN we present a detailed study of the HST-1 structure, 0.8 arcsec downstream the jet of M87, previously identified as a possible candidate for TeV emission. HST-1 shows a very peculiar structure with superluminal as well as possible stationary sub-components, and appears to be located in the transition from a parabolic to a conical jet shape, presumably leading to the formation of a recollimation shock. This scenario is supported by our new RHD simulations in which the interaction of a moving component with a recollimation shock leads to the appearance of a new superlumin…
Impact of red giant/AGB winds on active galactic nucleus jet propagation
Astronomy and astrophysics 606, A40 (2017). doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630117
3D simulations of microquasar jets in clumpy stellar winds
High-mass microquasars consist of a massive star and a compact object, the latter producing jets that will interact with the stellar wind. The evolution of the jets, and ultimately their radiative outcome, could depend strongly on the inhomogeneity of the wind, which calls for a detailed study. The hydrodynamics of the interaction between a jet and a clumpy wind is studied, focusing on the global wind and single clump-jet interplay. We have performed, using the code \textit{Ratpenat}, three-dimensional numerical simulations of a clumpy wind interacting with a mildly relativistic jet, and of individual clumps penetrating into a jet. For typical wind and jet velocities, filling factors of abo…
Non-thermal radiation from a pulsar wind interacting with an inhomogeneous stellar wind
Binaries hosting a massive star and a non-accreting pulsar are powerful non-thermal emitters due to the interaction of the pulsar and the stellar wind. The winds of massive stars are thought to be inhomogeneous, which could have an impact on the non-thermal emission. We study numerically the impact of the presence of inhomogeneities or clumps in the stellar wind on the high-energy non-thermal radiation of high-mass binaries hosting a non-accreting pulsar. We compute the trajectories and physical properties of the streamlines in the shocked pulsar wind without clumps, with a small clump, and with a large one. This information is used to compute the synchrotron and inverse Compton emission fr…
On the deceleration of Fanaroff-Riley Class I jets: mass loading of magnetized jets by stellar winds.
In this paper we present steady-state RMHD simulations that include a mass-load term to study the process of jet deceleration. The mass-load mimics the injection of a proton-electron plasma from stellar winds within the host galaxy into initially pair plasma jets, with mean stellar mass-losses ranging from $10^{-14}$ to $10^{-9}\,{M_\odot\,yr^{-1}}$. The spatial jet evolution covers $\sim 500\,{\rm pc}$ from jet injection in the grid at 10~pc from the jet nozzle. Our simulations use a relativistic gas equation of state and a pressure profile for the ambient medium. We compare these simulations with previous dynamical simulations of relativistic, non-magnetised jets. Our results show that to…
Testing jet geometries and disc-jet coupling in the neutron star LMXB 4U 0614 + 091 with the internal shocks model
Multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions of Low Mass X-ray Binaries in the hard state are determined by the emission from a jet, for frequencies up to mid-infrared, and emission from the accretion flow in the optical to X-ray range. In the last years, the flat radio-to-mid-IR spectra of Black Hole (BH) X-ray binaries was described using the internal shocks model, which assumes that the fluctuations in the velocity of the ejecta along the jet are driven by the fluctuations in the accretion flow, described by the X-ray Power Density Spectrum (PDS). In this work we attempt to apply this model for the first time to a Neutron Star (NS) LMXB, i.e. 4U 0614+091. We used the multi-wavelength d…
Jet collimation in NGC 315 and other nearby AGN
Aims. The collimation of relativistic jets in galaxies is a poorly understood process. Detailed radio studies of the jet collimation region have been performed so far in few individual objects, providing important constraints for jet formation models. However, the extent of the collimation zone as well as the nature of the external medium possibly confining the jet are still debated. Methods. In this article we present a multi-frequency and multi-scale analysis of the radio galaxy NGC 315, including the use of mm-VLBI data up to 86 GHz, aimed at revealing the evolution of the jet collimation profile. We then consider results from the literature to compare the jet expansion profile in a samp…
First hints of pressure waves in a helical extragalactic jet: S5~0836+710
One of the open questions in extragalactic jet Astrophysics is related to the nature of the observed radio jet, namely whether it traces a pattern or the flow structure itself. In this paper I summarize the evidence collected for the presence of waves in extragalactic jets. The evidence points towards the peak of emission in helical jets corresponding to pressure-maxima of a wave that is generated within the core region and propagates downstream. Making use of a number of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the radio jet in the quasar S5~0836+710 at different frequencies and epochs, Perucho et al. (2012) were able to observe wave-like behavior within the observed radio-…
Triggering mixing and deceleration in FRI jets: a solution
Since Fanaroff & Riley (1974) reported the morphological and brightness dichotomy of radiogalaxies, and it became clear that the symmetric emission from jets and counter-jets in the centre-brightened, less powerful, FRI sources could be caused by jet deceleration, many works have addressed different mechanisms that could cause this difference. Recent observational results seem to indicate that the deceleration must be caused by the development of small-scale instabilities that force mixing at the jet boundary. According to these results, the mixing layer expands and propagates down to the jet axis along several kiloparsecs, until it covers the whole jet cross-section. Several candidate …
Jet stability, dynamics and energy transport
Relativistic jets carry energy and particles from compact to very large scales compared with their initial radius. This is possible due to their remarkable collimation despite their intrinsic unstable nature. In this contribution, I review the state-of-the-art of our knowledge on instabilities growing in those jets and several stabilising mechanisms that may give an answer to the question of the stability of jets. In particular, during the last years we have learned that the limit imposed by the speed of light sets a maximum amplitude to the instabilities, contrary to the case of classical jets. On top of this stabilising mechanism, the fast growth of unstable modes with small wavelengths p…
Apparent superluminal core expansion and limb brightening in the candidate neutrino blazar TXS 0506+056
IceCube has reported a very-high-energy neutrino (IceCube-170922A) in a region containing the blazar TXS 0506+056. Correlated {\gamma}-ray activity has led to the first high-probability association of a high-energy neutrino with an extragalactic source. This blazar has been found to be in a radio outburst during the neutrino event. We have performed target-of-opportunity VLBI imaging observations at 43 GHz frequency with the VLBA two and eight months, respectively, after the neutrino event. We produced two images of TXS 0506+056 with angular resolutions of (0.2x1.1) mas and (0.2x0.5) mas, respectively. The source shows a compact, high brightness temperature core (albeit not approaching the …
The internal structure of overpressured, magnetized, relativistic jets
This work presents the first characterization of the internal structure of overpressured steady superfast magnetosonic relativistic jets in connection with their dominant type of energy. To this aim, relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of different jet models threaded by a helical magnetic field have been analyzed covering a wide region in the magnetosonic Mach number - specific internal energy plane. The merit of this plane is that models dominated by different types of energy (internal energy: hot jets; rest-mass energy: kinetically dominated jets; magnetic energy: Poynting-flux dominated jets) occupy well separated regions. The analyzed models also cover a wide range of magnetiz…
Recollimation shocks in relativistic jets
Recollimation shocks (RS) appear associated with relativistic flows propagating through pressure mismatched atmospheres. Astrophysical scenarios invoking the presence of such shocks include jets from AGNs and X-ray binaries and GRBs. We shall start reviewing the theoretical background behind the structure of RS in overpressured jets. Next, basing on numerical simulations, we will focus on the properties of RS in relativistic steady jets threaded by helical magnetic fields depending on the dominant type of energy. Synthetic radio maps from the simulation of the synchrotron emission for a selection of models in the context of parsec-scale extragalactic jets will also be discussed.© 2018 World…
Simulations of an inhomogeneous stellar wind interacting with a pulsar wind in a binary system
Binary systems containing a massive star and a non-accreting pulsar present strong interaction between the stellar and the pulsar winds. The properties of this interaction, which largely determine the non-thermal radiation in these systems, strongly depend on the structure of the stellar wind, which can be clumpy or strongly anisotropic, as in Be stars. We study numerically the influence of inhomogeneities in the stellar wind on the structure of the two-wind interaction region. We carried out for the first time axisymmetric, relativistic hydrodynamical simulations, with Lorentz factors of ~6 and accounting for the impact of instabilities, to study the impact in the two-wind interaction stru…
Catching the radio flare in CTA 102. III. Core-shift and spectral analysis
The temporal and spatial spectral evolution of the jets of AGN can be studied with multi-frequency, multi-epoch VLBI observations. The combination of both, morphological and spectral parameters can be used to derive source intrinsic physical properties such as the magnetic field and the non-thermal particle density. In the first two papers of this series, we analyzed the single-dish light curves and the VLBI kinematics of the blazar CTA 102 and suggested a shock-shock interaction between a traveling and a standing shock wave as a possible scenario to explain the observed evolution of the component associated to the 2006 flare. In this paper we investigate the core-shift and spectral evoluti…
Clouds and red giants interacting with the base of AGN jets
Extragalactic jets are formed close to supermassive black-holes in the center of galaxies. Large amounts of gas, dust, and stars cluster in the galaxy nucleus, and interactions between this ambient material and the jet base should be frequent, having dynamical as well as radiative consequences. This work studies the dynamical interaction of an obstacle, a clump of matter or the atmosphere of an evolved star, with the innermost region of an extragalactic jet. Jet mass-loading and the high-energy outcome of this interaction are briefly discussed. Relativistic hydrodynamical simulations with axial symmetry have been carried out for homogeneous and inhomogeneous obstacles inside a relativistic …
TANAMI monitoring of Centaurus A: The complex dynamics in the inner parsec of an extragalactic jet
Centaurus A is the closest radio-loud active galaxy. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) enables us to study the jet-counterjet system on milliarcsecond (mas) scales, providing essential information for jet emission and propagation models. We study the evolution of the central parsec jet structure of Cen A over 3.5 years. The proper motion analysis of individual jet components allows us to constrain jet formation and propagation and to test the proposed correlation of increased high energy flux with jet ejection events. Cen A is an exceptional laboratory for such detailed study as its proximity translates to unrivaled linear resolution, where 1 mas corresponds to 0.018 pc. The first 7 …