IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v452y2008i7190d10.1038_nature06895.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst

Author

Listed:
  • Alan P. Marscher

    (Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Svetlana G. Jorstad

    (Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
    Astronomical Institute of St Petersburg State University, Universitetskij Prospect 28, Petrodvorets, 198504 St Petersburg, Russia)

  • Francesca D. D’Arcangelo

    (Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Paul S. Smith

    (Steward Observatory,)

  • G. Grant Williams

    (MMT Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0065, USA)

  • Valeri M. Larionov

    (Astronomical Institute of St Petersburg State University, Universitetskij Prospect 28, Petrodvorets, 198504 St Petersburg, Russia)

  • Haruki Oh

    (Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
    Present address: Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA.)

  • Alice R. Olmstead

    (Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA)

  • Margo F. Aller

    (University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1090, USA)

  • Hugh D. Aller

    (University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1090, USA)

  • Ian M. McHardy

    (University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • Anne Lähteenmäki

    (Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Helsinki University of Technology TKK, Metsähovintie 114, 02540 Kylmälä, Finland)

  • Merja Tornikoski

    (Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Helsinki University of Technology TKK, Metsähovintie 114, 02540 Kylmälä, Finland)

  • Esko Valtaoja

    (Tuorla Observatory Väisäläntie 20
    University of Turku)

  • Vladimir A. Hagen-Thorn

    (Astronomical Institute of St Petersburg State University, Universitetskij Prospect 28, Petrodvorets, 198504 St Petersburg, Russia)

  • Eugenia N. Kopatskaya

    (Astronomical Institute of St Petersburg State University, Universitetskij Prospect 28, Petrodvorets, 198504 St Petersburg, Russia)

  • Walter K. Gear

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University)

  • Gino Tosti

    (University of Perugia, Via A. Pascoli, 06123 Perugia, Italy)

  • Omar Kurtanidze

    (Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Mt Kanobili, Abastumani, Georgia)

  • Maria Nikolashvili

    (Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Mt Kanobili, Abastumani, Georgia)

  • Lorand Sigua

    (Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Mt Kanobili, Abastumani, Georgia)

  • H. Richard Miller

    (Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA)

  • Wesley T. Ryle

    (Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA)

Abstract

Blazars: model behaviour Blazars are the most extreme active galactic nuclei, possessing oppositely directed plasma jets emanating from accreting supermassive black holes at near-light speeds. The jets have been modelled as being propelled by magnetic fields twisted by differential rotation of the black hole's accretion disk or inertial-frame-dragging ergosphere. Until now, this general picture of jet formation, and the exact location of the outbursts, had not been verified. Marscher et al. now report high-resolution radio images and optical polarization measurements of the blazar BL Lacertae. The new measurements reveal a bright feature in the jet that causes a double flare of radiation from optical frequencies to TeV γ-ray energies. This suggests that the event begins in a region with a helical magnetic field, in line with model predictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Alan P. Marscher & Svetlana G. Jorstad & Francesca D. D’Arcangelo & Paul S. Smith & G. Grant Williams & Valeri M. Larionov & Haruki Oh & Alice R. Olmstead & Margo F. Aller & Hugh D. Aller & Ian M. McH, 2008. "The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst," Nature, Nature, vol. 452(7190), pages 966-969, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:452:y:2008:i:7190:d:10.1038_nature06895
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06895
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06895
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/nature06895?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:452:y:2008:i:7190:d:10.1038_nature06895. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.