Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Governs Lorentz Factors of Jet Components in Blazars?

  • Published:
Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We use a sample of radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) with measured black hole masses to explore the jet formation mechanisms in these sources. We find a significant correlation between black hole mass and the bulk Lorentz factor of the jet components for this sample, while no significant correlation is present between the bulk Lorentz factor and the Eddington ratio. Recent investigations suggested that the most super-massive black holes in elliptical galaxies have on average higher spins than the black holes in spiral galaxies. The correlation between black hole mass and bulk Lorentz factor of the jet components found in this work implies that the motion velocity of the jet components is probably governed by the black hole spin. The faster moving jets are magnetically accelerated by the magnetic fields threading the horizon of more rapidly rotating black holes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blandford, R. D., Königl, A. 1979, ApJ, 232, 34.

  • Blandford, R. D., Payne, D. G. 1982, MNRAS, 199, 883.

  • Blandford, R. D., Znajek, R. L. 1977, MNRAS, 179, 433.

  • Cao, X., Jiang, D. R. 1999, MNRAS, 307, 802.

  • Cao, X., Jiang, D. R. 2001, MNRAS, 320, 347.

  • Cao, X., Li, F. 2008, MNRAS, 390, 561.

  • Celotti, A., Padovani, P., Ghisellini, G. 1997, MNRAS, 286, 415.

  • Chai, B., Cao, X., Gu, M. 2012, ApJ, 759, 114.

  • Gu, M., Cao, X., Jiang, D. R. 2009, MNRAS, 396, 984.

  • Jiang, D. R., Cao, X., Hong, X. 1998, ApJ, 494, 139.

  • Kellermann, K. I., Lister, M. L., Homan, D. C. et al. 2004, ApJ, 609, 539.

  • Königl, A. 1981, ApJ, 243, 700.

  • Rawlings, S., Saunders, R., Eales, S. A., Mackay, C. D. 1989, MNRAS, 240, 701.

  • Volonteri, M., Sikora, M., Lasota, J.-P. 2007, ApJ, 667, 704.

  • Zhou, M., Cao, X.-W. 2009, Res. Astron. Astrophys., 9, 293.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Basic Research Programme of China (grant 2009CB824800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 11173043, 11121062 and 11233006), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)/State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) International Partnership Programme for Creative Research Teams (KJCX2-YW-T23).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Xinwu Cao & Minfeng Gu

  2. Polar Research Institute of China, 451 Jinqiao Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 200136, China

    Bo Chai

  3. Key Laboratory for the Structure and Evolution of Celestial Objects, Yunnan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650011, China

    Ming Zhou

Authors
  1. Xinwu Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bo Chai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Minfeng Gu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinwu Cao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cao, X., Chai, B., Zhou, M. et al. What Governs Lorentz Factors of Jet Components in Blazars?. J Astrophys Astron 35, 357–362 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-014-9230-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12036-014-9230-z

Key words

Search

Navigation