2014/11/30 by M. Janiak, Mateusz Janiak, M. Sikora +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Neutrino Physics Research #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/mnras/stv200
published as Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2015 449 (4): 431-439 · 19 pages, 6 figures, published in MNRAS
openalex publication_date 2015/03/17 · arxiv created 2015/03/18 · arxiv updated 2015/03/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The luminosities of many powerful blazars are strongly dominated by γ-rays, which most likely result from Comptonization of radiation produced outside a jet. This observation sets certain constraints on the composition and energetics of the jet, as well as the surrounding quasar environment. We study the dependence of Compton dominance on jet magnetization (the magnetic-to-matter energy flux) and on the location of the ‘blazar zone’. Calculations are performed for two geometries of broad emission-line and hot dust regions: spherical and planar. The jet magnetization corresponding to the large observed Compton dominance is found to be ∼0.1(θjΓ)2 for spherical geometries and ∼0.01(θjΓ)2 for planar geometries, where θj is the jet half-opening angle and Γ is the jet Lorentz factor. This implies that jets in luminous blazars are matter-dominated and that this domination is particularly strong for the flattened geometry of external radiation sources.