Related papers: A note on relativistic rocketry
We study the behaviour of an initially spherical bunch of accelerated particles emitted along trajectories parallel to the symmetry axis of a rotating black hole. We find that, under suitable conditions, curvature and inertial strains…
Relativistic jets from (supermassive) black holes are typically observed in non-thermal emission, caused by highly-relativistic electrons. Here, we study the interrelation between three-dimensional (special) relativistic…
The discovery of relativistic jets and superluminal sources associated with accreting X-ray binaries in the Galaxy opened new ways of investigating the physics of outflows from compact objects. The short timescales and relatively large…
Observations of jets from quasars and other types of accreting black hole are briefly summarized. The importance of beaming and $\gamma$-ray observations for understanding the origin of these jets is emphasised. It is argued that both the…
The properties of the light, the Lorentz transformations and the relation mass-energy are introduced using the wave picture of the light and of the massive particles.
Our knowledge of the phenomenology of accretion onto black holes has increased considerably thanks to ten years of observations with the RXTE satellite. However, only recently it has been possible to derive a scheme for the outburst…
The contribution of interference effects to the radiation of a charged particle moving in a medium of randomly spaced plates is considered. In the angular dependent radiation intensity a peak appears at angles $\theta\sim\pi-\gamma^{-1}$,…
At high redshift, extragalactic jets are associated with extended emission line regions. We present global and local hydrodynamic simulations of the interaction of jets with their environment relevant to this phenomenon. We determine the…
The purpose of this paper is to provide an elementary introduction to the qualitative and quantitative results of velocity combination in special relativity, including the Wigner rotation and Thomas precession. We utilize only the most…
The formation of relativistic jets by an accreting compact object is one of the fundamental mysteries of astrophysics. While the theory is poorly understood, observations of relativistic jets from systems known as microquasars have led to a…
The dependence of macroscopic radiation pressure on the velocity of the object being pushed is commonly attributed to the Doppler effect. This need not be the case, and here we highlight velocity dependent radiation pressure terms that have…
There are now several types of relativistic flows in astrophysical settings. The foremost examples are jets and disks orbiting spinning black holes, pulsar winds and gamma ray bursts. As discussed at this meeting, these flows exhibit…
A jet of heavy fluid is injected upwards, at time $t=0$, into a lighter fluid and reaches a maximum height at time $t=t_i$ and then flows back around the upward flow. A similar flow situation occurs for a light fluid injected downward into…
Motivated by ultra-high-energy cosmic ray physics, we discuss all the possible alternatives to the familiar Lorentz transformations of the momentum and the energy of a particle. Starting from natural physical requirements, we exclude all…
A derivation of the relative velocity used in the definition of the relativistic cross-section is given in terms of manifestly Lorentz invariant quantities. Along the way we find that there is a certain arbitrariness in the usual definition…
Relativistic jets in Galactic superluminals and extragalactic AGN may be surrounded by a wind near to the central engine. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation reveal considerable stabilization of relativistic jet flow by a wind to…
We point out the dominant importance of plasma injection effects for relativistic winds from pulsars and black holes. We demonstrate that outside the light cylinder the magnetically dominated outflows while sliding along the helical…
The origin of the high-energy emission in astrophysical jets from black holes is a highly debated issue. This is particularly true for jets from supermassive black holes that are among the most powerful particle accelerators in the…
An approach to special relativity is outlined which emphasizes the wave and field mechanisms which physically produce the relativistic effects, with the goal of making them seem more natural to students by connecting more explicitly with…
We investigate the one-dimensional interaction of a relativistic jet and an external medium. Relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations show an anomalous boost of the jet fluid in the boundary layer, as previously reported. We describe…