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RESEARCH PRODUCT
A Highly Magnetized Twin-Jet Base Pinpoints a Supermassive Black Hole
Thomas P. KrichbaumMatthias KadlerIvan Marti-vidalChristoph GrossbergerJörn WilmsManel PeruchoMichael LindqvistM. BremerEduardo RosEduardo RosK. MannheimAndrei LobanovAndrei LobanovCornelia MüllerCornelia MüllerCornelia MüllerM. BöckAnne Kathrin BaczkoAnne Kathrin BaczkoAnne Kathrin BaczkoR. SchulzR. SchulzR. SchulzJ. A. Zensussubject
AstrofísicaCamps magnèticsActive galactic nucleus[ PHYS.ASTR ] Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]AstronomyAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomenagalaxies: activeFOS: Physical sciencesAstrophysicsAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysicsmagnetic fields01 natural sciencesGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology0103 physical sciences010303 astronomy & astrophysicsAstrophysics::Galaxy AstrophysicsHigh Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)PhysicsSupermassive black holeJet (fluid)010308 nuclear & particles physicsAstronomy and AstrophysicsRadiusgalaxies: jetsAstrophysics - Astrophysics of GalaxiesMagnetic fieldRotational energyRotating black holeSpace and Planetary ScienceAstrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)ComputingMethodologies_DOCUMENTANDTEXTPROCESSINGAstronomiagalaxies: nucleiAstrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomenagalaxies: magnetic fields[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]Schwarzschild radiusdescription
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 ~80000 G consistent with Blandford & Znajek models.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-23 |