Powering AGNs with super-critical black holes

Details Powering AGNs with super-critical black holes Powering AGNs with super-critical black holes

2009-05-13

arxiv.org/abs/0905.2109v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Galaxy Astrophysics

4 pages, 1 figure

Scientific paper

We propose a novel mechanism for powering the central engines of Active Galactic Nuclei through super-critical (type II) black hole collapse. In this picture, ~$10^3 M_\odot$ of material collapsing at relativistic speeds can trigger a gravitational shock, which can eject a large percentage of the collapsing matter at relativistic speeds, leaving behind a "light" black hole. In the presence of a poloidal magnetic field, the plasma collimates along two jets, and the associated electron synchrotron radiation can easily account for the observed radio luminosities, sizes and durations of AGN jets. For Lorentz factors of order 100 and magnetic fields of a few hundred $\mu G$, synchrotron electrons can shine for $10^6$ yrs, producing jets of sizes of order 100 kpc. This mechanism may also be relevant for Gamma Ray Bursts and, in the absence of magnetic field, supernova explosions.

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