Extragalactic relativistic jets

Abstract

AbstractRelativistic jets are one of the most powerful manifestations of the release of energy produced around supermassive black holes at the centre of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Their emission is observed across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from the radio band to gamma rays. Despite decades of efforts, many aspects of the physics of relativistic jets remain elusive. In particular, the location and the mechanisms responsible for the high-energy emission and the connection of the variability at different wavelengths are among the greatest challenges in the study of AGN. Recent high resolution radio observations of flaring objects locate the high energy emitting region downstream the jet at parsec scale distance from the central engine. Furthermore, monitoring campaigns of the most active blazars indicate that not all the high energy flares have the same characteristics in the various energy bands, even from the same source, making the interpretation of the mechanism responsible for the high-energy emission not trivial. Here I will discuss gamma-ray properties of blazars obtained by Fermi Large Area Telescope observations and the connection between radio and high-energy emission in relativistic jets, and I will focus on the importance of high angular resolution observations.