Abstract
Supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei launch relativistic jets, as indicated by observed superluminal radio blobs. The energy source of these jets is widely discussed in the theoretical framework of the Blandford–Znajek process, the electromagnetic energy extraction from rotating black holes (BHs), while the formation mechanism of the radio blobs in the electromagnetically dominated jets has been a long-standing problem. Recent high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic simulations of magnetically arrested disks exhibited magnetic reconnection in a transient magnetically dominated part of the equatorial disk near the BH horizon, which led to a promising scenario of efficient MeV gamma-ray production and subsequent electron–positron pair loading into the BH magnetosphere. We develop this scenario to build a theoretical framework on energetics, timescales, and particle number density of the superluminal radio blobs and discuss observable signatures in other wave bands. We analytically show that the nonthermal electrons emit broadband photons from optical to multi-MeV bands. The electron–positron pairs produced in the magnetosphere are optically thick for synchrotron self-absorption, so that the injected energy is stored in the plasma. The stored energy is enough to power the superluminal radio blobs observed in M87. This scenario predicts rather dim radio blobs around Sgr A*, which are consistent with no clear detection by current facilities. In addition, this scenario inevitably produces strong X-ray flares in a short timescale, which will be detectable by future X-ray satellites.
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.