Theory of electron-positron showers in double radio sources
Abstract
A black hole of mass of about 300 million solar masses is assumed to be present in the nucleus of an active galaxy or quasar. With an axial magnetic field near 1000 gauss, a potential drop 10 to the 19th volts is generated by the unipolar induction of a rotating accretion disk surrounding the black hole. The possibility that the acceleration of electrons or positrons in the unipolar fields initiates an electromagnetic cascade shower at distances at least 10 to the 16th cm from the black hole is investigated. The scattering medium for the shower is considered to be the spectrum of low energy photons originating from the inner region of the disk. It is found that at completion of the cascade, power-law energy spectra of relativistic electrons and positrons and of gamma-rays emerge under appropriate conditions. If the cascade-initiating particles are collimated, the electrons and positrons emerge in a collimated beam. Such beams may power extragalactic double radio sources.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1982
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1982ApJ...262...87B
- Keywords:
-
- Black Holes (Astronomy);
- Electron Photon Cascades;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Positrons;
- Radio Sources (Astronomy);
- Accretion Disks;
- Active Galaxies;
- Compton Effect;
- Galactic Structure;
- Inverse Scattering;
- Pair Production;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Particle Collisions;
- Quasars;
- Astrophysics