On Radiative Acceleration of Relativistic Jets

Physics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

The formation and acceleration of relativistic jets by radiative forces in black hole systems are investigated. Under a variety of circumstances, we calculate the bulk acceleration and radiative cooling of a confined plasma cell, immersed in different types of radiation fields and interacting by Compton scattering. Both non-relativistic (cold) and relativistic (hot) jet plasma, comprising mixtures of electron-proton and electron-positron components, are treated. We pay attention to some conceivable effects, previously neglected, which may possibly enhance the bulk acceleration; among them are an anisotropically radiating accretion disk surface, beamed secondary radiation from the inner jet, and scattering in the energy dependent Klein-Nishina regime. Our results are discussed in the context of relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei and Galactic black hole candidates, and the conditions necessary for successfully reproducing their observed properties are highlighted. In particular, the velocities of the recently discovered superluminal jets in Galactic black hole candidates (Lorentz factors of Γ ~ 2.5) are readily and very robustly accounted for if the jet is composed primarily of electron-positron pairs and the disk luminosity is near the Eddington value; the jet kinetic power can be consistent with optical depth and pair annihilation constraints. On the other hand, severe difficulty is met in attaining the velocities of AGN jets (Γ ~ 10), which can only be realized when a significant amount of beamed secondary radiation is present. We also contemplate additional important issues, such as global energetics.

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