Theoretical studies of compact radio sources. I - Synchrotron radiation from relativistic flows. II - Inverse-Compton radiation from anisotropic photon and electron distributions: General results and spectra from relativistic flows

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (66) References (33) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Theoretical studies of compact radio sources. I - Synchrotron radiation from relativistic flows. Reynolds, S. P. Abstract In the first part of this paper, analytic expressions are obtained for synchrotron radiation spectra from various types of relativistic flows, yielding models that fall into four classes: (1) winds whose size is a function of frequency, (2) winds with roughly constant size, (3) opaque jets, and (4) winds and jets whose spectra are dominated by the presence of a low-electron distribution cutoff. All four classes produce slowly-rising spectra, but differ in the range of rising spectral indices they can produce and in their dependence on the initial bulk Lorentz factor of the flow. Results are applied to the compact nuclear radio sources in M81, M87, and M104, and it is found that only opaque jets and winds dominated by nonrelativistic proton inertia reproduce observations. In the second part, a general expression derived for inverse Compton emissivity due to arbitrary photon and electron distributions is used to treat the anisotropies characteristic of synchrotron self-Compton radiation in relativistic flows. Detailed numerical calculations produce self-consistent inverse Compton spectra from relativistic winds, including the electron distribution cutoff effects. The derivation of analytic expressions for the inverse Compton spectra of relativistic winds, and jets inclined at angles greater than the inverse of the flow's initial bulk Lorentz factor, shows spectral features which are broad but potentially observable. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1982 DOI: 10.1086/159881 Bibcode: 1982ApJ...256...13R Keywords: Astronomical Models; Compton Effect; Inverse Scattering; Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Radio Sources (Astronomy); Relativistic Velocity; Synchrotron Radiation; Electron Distribution; Faraday Effect; Galactic Nuclei; Galactic Structure; Lorentz Force; Plasma Jets; Red Shift; Very Long Base Interferometry; X Ray Sources; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products NED (3)