Multiwavelength Observations of Relativistic Jets from General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations

Richard Anantua,Alexander Tchekhovskoy,Roger Blandford

doi:10.3390/galaxies6010031

Abstract

This work summarizes a program intended to unify three burgeoning branches of the high-energy astrophysics of relativistic jets: general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of ever-increasing dynamical range, the microphysical theory of particle acceleration under relativistic conditions, and multiwavelength observations resolving ever-decreasing spatiotemporal scales. The process, which involves converting simulation output into time series of images and polarization maps that can be directly compared to observations, is performed by (1) self-consistently prescribing models for emission, absorption, and particle acceleration and (2) performing time-dependent polarized radiative transfer. M87 serves as an exemplary prototype for this investigation due to its prominent and well-studied jet and the imminent prospect of learning much more from Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations this year. Synthetic observations can be directly compared with real observations for observational signatures such as jet instabilities, collimation, relativistic beaming, and polarization. The simplest models described adopt the standard equipartition hypothesis; other models calculate emission by relating it to current density or shear. These models are intended for application to the radio jet instead of the higher frequency emission, the disk and the wind, which will be subjects of future investigations.

Highlights

Relativistic jets are powerful, collimated outflows launched from compact objects typically surrounded by accretion disks in black hole X-ray binaries, gamma ray bursts, or active galactic nuclei (AGN) throughout the observable universe
Of particular interest in observational astronomy are relativistic jets from AGN, which are associated with the greatest total energy output among known astrophysical sources
Starting with the simple beta and bias models, we can develop an intuition about the role that the functional dependence of emissivity on magnetic field strength plays in a defining characteristic of jets: collimation

Summary

Introduction

Relativistic jets are powerful, collimated outflows launched from compact objects typically surrounded by accretion disks in black hole X-ray binaries, gamma ray bursts, or active galactic nuclei (AGN) throughout the observable universe. Of particular interest in observational astronomy are relativistic jets from AGN, which are associated with the greatest total energy output among known astrophysical sources. Ever since Heber Curtis observed “a thin line of matter” flowing from the center of M87 in 1918 [1], AGN jet observations have proliferated, as seen in the Fermi Gamma-ray Space. Interest in jets has been spurred by recent discoveries relating to their central engines—black holes—including the monumental observational confirmation of Einstein’s prediction of gravitational. Pending discoveries relating to the nature of jet emission close to the central engine are rapidly garnering a similar level of interest [2]. Some planned observations spurring theoretical progress are summarized as follows

Methods

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Conclusion