Thermal material in relativistic jets |
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| Authors: | Celotti,Kuncic,Rees,& Wardle |
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| Affiliation: | SISSA, via Beirut 2–4, 34014 Trieste, Italy,;Australian National University Astrophysical Theory Centre, ACT 0200, Australia,;Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA,;Physics Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254, USA |
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| Abstract: | The properties of thermal material co-existing with non-thermal emitting plasma and strong magnetic fields in the powerful jets of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are examined. Theoretical and observational constraints on the physical properties of this 'cold' component are determined. While the presence of a thermal component occupying a fraction ∼ 10−8 of the jet volume is possible, it seems unlikely that such a component is capable of contributing significantly to the total jet energy budget, since the thermal reprocessing signatures that should appear in the spectra have not, as yet, been detected. |
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| Keywords: | radiation mechanisms: thermal radiation mechanisms: non-thermal galaxies: active galaxies: jets |
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