Abstract
New observations of the jet in 3C 273 support and refine our earlier interpretation that (i) the mapped jet is 106±0.3 yr old and grows at 0.6 to 0.75 times the speed of light, at an average angle θ of (20 ± 10)‡ with respect to the line of sight; (ii) its twin is not seen yet because arriving signals were emitted when it was some 100.6±0.2 times younger; (iii) the fluid moving in the jet is an extremely relativistice ±-pair plasma, of bulk Lorentz factor γ >102; (iv) the beam has swung in projection through some 10‡; and (v) the small excursions (wiggles) of the jet around its average propagation direction result from a self-stabilizing interaction with the nonstatic ambient plasma. All other interpretations of which we are aware depend heavily on the (‘beaming’) assumption that the jet material radiates isotropically in some (comoving) Lorentz frame, an assumption which we consider unrealistic.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartel, N., Rogers, A. E. E., Shapiro, I. I., Gorenstein, M. V., Gwinn, C. R., Marcaide, J. M., Weiler, K. W. 1985,Nature,318, 25.
Begelman, M. C., Blandford, R. D., Rees, M. J. 1984,Rev. Mod. Phys.,56, 255.
Bezler, M., Kendziorra, E., Staubert, R., Hasinger, G., Pietsch, W., Reppin, C., Trümper, J., Voges, W. 1984,Astr. Astrophys.,136, 351.
Canizares, C. R., Stewart, C. G., Fabian, A. C. 1983,Astrophys. J.,272, 449.
Conway, R. G., Davis, R. J., Foley, A. R., Ray, T. P. 1981,Nature,294, 540.
Courant, R., Friedrichs, K. O. 1976,Supersonic Flow and Shock Waves, Springer, Berlin.
Davis, R. J., Muxlow, T. W. B., Conway, R. G. 1985,Nature,318, 343.
Ekers, R. D., Fanti, R., Lari, C., Parma, P. 1978,Nature,276, 588.
Flatters, C., Conway, R. G. 1985,Nature,314, 425.
Foley, A. R., Davis, R. J. 1985,Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc.,216, 679.
Hughes, P. A., Allen, A. J. 1985,Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc,214, 399.
Henry, J. P., Becklin, E. E., Telesco, C. M. 1984,Astrophys. J.,280, 98.
Kellermann, K. I., PaulinyToth, I. I. K.. 1981,Ann. R. astr. Astrophys.,19, 373.
Kundt, W. 1982,Mitt: astr. Ges.,57, 65.
Kundt, W. 1983,Astr. Astrophys.,121, L15.
Kundt, W. 1984,J. Astrophys. Astr. 5, 277.
Kundt, W., Gopal-Krishna 1981,Astrophys. Space Sci.,75, 257.
Kundt, W., Krotscheck, E. 1980,Astr. Astrophys.,83, 1.
Landau, L. D., Lifshitz, E. M. 1978, 6, Chapter X, Section 90.
Leahy, J. P., Williams, A. G. 1984,Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc.,210, 929.
Lelievre, G., Nieto, J. -L., Horville, D., Renard, L., Servan, B. 1984,Astr. Astrophys.,138, 49
Lind, K. R., Blandford, R. D. 1985,Astrophys. J. 295, 358
Meisenheimer, K., Röser, H.-J. 1986,Nature,319, 459
Miley, G. K.. 1980,Ann. R. Astr. Astrophys.,18, 165.
Morrison, P. Roberts, D., Sadun, A. 1984,Astrophys. J.,280, 483
Perley, R. A. 1983 inIAU Symp.110: VLBI and Compact Radio Sources, Eds R. Fanti, K. Kellermann & G. Setti, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, p. 153.
Perley, R. A., Dreher, J. W., Cowan, J. 1985,Astrophys. J.,285, L35.
Phinney, E. S. 1985, inProc. Santa Cruz Summer Workshop, Ed. J. S. Miller, Univ. Sci. Books.
Roberts, D. 1984,Astrophys. J.,285, 64.
Röser, H.-J., Meisenheimer, K. 1986,Astr. Astrophys.,154, 15.
Unwin, S. C., Cohen, M. H., Biretta, J. A., Pearson, T. J., Seielstad, G. A., Walker, R. C., Simon, R. S., Linfield, R. P.1985, Astrophys. J.,289, 109.
Wirth, A., Smarr, L., Gallagher, J. S. 1982,Astr. J.,87, 602.
Wyckoff, S., Wehinger, P. A., Gehren, T. 1981,Astrophys. J.,247, 750.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kundt, W., Gopal-Krishna The jet of the Quasar 3C 273. J Astrophys Astron 7, 225–236 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02714211
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02714211