2009/03/23 by Bozena Czerny, B. Czerny, Aneta Siemiginowska +5
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #astro-ph.CO
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/698/1/840
published as Astrophys.J.698:840-851,2009 · 35 pages, 8 figures, to appear in ApJ
arxiv created 2009/03/23 · openalex publication_date 2009/05/26 · arxiv updated 2011/02/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We associate the existence of short-lived compact radio sources with the intermittent activity of the central engine caused by a radiation pressure instability within an accretion disk. Such objects may constitute a numerous subclass of gigahertz-peaked spectrum sources, in accordance with the population studies of radio-loud active galaxies, as well as detailed investigations of their radio morphologies. We perform the model computations assuming the viscosity parameterization as proportional to a geometrical mean of the total and gas pressure. The implied timescales are consistent with the observed ages of the sources. The duration of an active phase for a moderate accretion rate is short enough (less than 10 3 –10 4 yr) that the ejecta are confined within the host galaxy and thus these sources cannot evolve into large size radio galaxies unless they are close to the Eddington limit.