English

Kinetically Dominated FRII Radio Sources

Astrophysics 2009-11-11 v1

Abstract

The existence of FR II objects that are kinetically dominated, the jet kinetic luminosity, QQ, is larger than the total thermal luminosity (IR to X-ray) of the accretion flow, LbolL_{bol}, is of profound theoretical interest. Such objects are not expected in most theoretical models of the central engine of radio loud AGN. Thus, establishing such a class of objects is an important diagnostic for filtering through the myriad of theoretical possibilities. This paper attempts to establish a class of quasars that have existed in a state of kinetic dominance, R(t)Q(t)/Lbol(t)>1R(t)\equiv Q(t)/L_{bol}(t)>1, at some epoch, tt. It is argued that the 10 quasars in this article with a long term time average Q(t)Q(t), Qˉ\bar{Q}, that exceed LEddL_{Edd} are likely to have satisfied the condition R(t)>1R(t)>1 either presently or in the past based on the rarity of Lbol>LEddL_{bol}>L_{Edd} quasars. Finally, the existence of these sources is discussed in the context of the theory of the central engine.

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0610042,
  title  = {Kinetically Dominated FRII Radio Sources},
  author = {Brian Punsly},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0610042},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

To appear in MNRAS Letters