We describe new implementations of leptonic and hadronic models for the broadband emission from relativistic jets in AGN in a temporary steady state. The new model implementations are used to fit ...snap-shot spectral energy distributions of a representative set of Fermi-LAT detected blazars from the first LAT AGN catalogue. We find that the leptonic model is capable of producing acceptable fits to the SEDs of almost all blazars with reasonable parameters close to equipartition between the magnetic field and the relativistic electron population. If charge neutrality in leptonic models is provided by cold protons, our fits indicate that the kinetic energy carried by the jet should be dominated by protons. We also find satisfactory representations of the snapshot SEDs of most blazars in our sample with the hadronic model presented here. All of our hadronic model fits require powers in relativistic protons in the range 1047 – 1049 erg/s. As a potential way to distinguish between the leptonic and hadronic high-energy emission models considered here, we suggest diagnostics based on the predicted X-ray and γ-ray polarization, which are drastically different for the two types of models.
We describe new implementations of leptonic and hadronic models for the broadband emission from relativistic jets in AGN in a temporary steady state. The new model implementations are used to fit ...snapshot spectral energy distributions of a representative set of Fermi-LAT detected blazars from the first LAT AGN catalogue. We find that the leptonic model is capable of producing acceptable fits to the SEDs of almost all blazars with reasonable parameters close to equipartition between the magnetic field and the relativistic electron population. If charge neutrality in leptonic models is provided by cold protons, our fits indicate that the kinetic energy carried by the jet should be dominated by protons. We also find satisfactory representations of the snapshot SEDs of most blazars in our sample with the hadronic model presented here. All of our hadronic model fits require powers in relativistic protons in the range 10 super(47) - 10 super(49) erg/s. As a potential way to distinguish between the leptonic and hadronic high-energy emission models considered here, we suggest diagnostics based on the predicted X-ray and gamma -ray polarization, which are drastically different for the two types of models.
The low-luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei M87, archetype of Fanaroff-Riley I radio-galaxies, was observed in a historically quiet state in 2017. While one-zone leptonic jet models alone cannot ...explain the core radio-to-gamma-ray spectrum, we explore a hybrid jet-disc scenario. In this work, we model the overall spectral energy distribution of M87's core with a dominating one-zone lepto-hadronic jet component, coupled with the contribution from the accretion flow. We find close-to-equipartition parameter sets for which the jet component fits the radio-to-optical data as well as the gamma-ray band, while the accretion flow mainly contributes to the X-ray band. The effects of gamma-ray absorption by the Extragalactic Background Light during the propagation towards Earth are probed and are found to be negligible for this model. The neutrino flux produced by such scenarios is also calculated, but remains below the current instruments' sensitivity.
Blazars emit across all electromagnetic wavelengths. While the so-called one-zone model has described well both quiescent and flaring states, it cannot explain the radio emission and fails in more ...complex data sets, such as AP Librae. In order to self-consistently describe the entire electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the jet, extended radiation models are necessary. Notably, kinetic descriptions of extended jets can provide the temporal and spatial evolution of the particle species and the full electromagnetic output. Here, we present the initial results of a newly developed hadro-leptonic extended-jet code: ExHaLe-jet. As protons take much longer than electrons to lose their energy, they can transport energy over much larger distances than electrons and are therefore essential for the energy transport in the jet. Furthermore, protons induce injection of additional pairs through pion and Bethe-Heitler pair production, which can explain a dominant leptonic radiation signal while still producing neutrinos. In this talk, we discuss the differences between leptonic and hadronic dominated SED solutions, the SED shapes, evolution along the jet flow, and jet powers. We also highlight the important role of external photon fields, such as the accretion disk and the BLR.
Blazars - active galaxies with the jet pointing at Earth - emit across all electromagnetic wavelengths. The so-called one-zone model has described well both quiescent and flaring states, however it ...cannot explain the radio emission. In order to self-consistently describe the entire electromagnetic spectrum, extended jet models are necessary. Notably, kinetic descriptions of extended jets can provide the temporal and spatial evolution of the particle species and the full electromagnetic output. Here, we present the initial results of a recently developed hadronic extended-jet code. As protons take much longer than electrons to lose their energy, they can transport energy over much larger distances than electrons and are therefore essential for the energy transport in the jet. Furthermore, protons can inject additional leptons through pion and Bethe-Heitler pair production, which can explain a dominant leptonic radiation signal while still producing neutrinos. We will present a detailed parameter study and provide insights into the different blazar sub-classes.
The processes operating in blazar jets are still an open question. Modeling the radiation emanating from an extended part of the jet allows one to capture these processes on all scales. Kinetic codes ...solving the Fokker-Planck equation along the jet flow are well suited to this task, as they can efficiently derive the radiation and particle spectra without the need for computationally demanding plasma-physical simulations. Here, we present a new extended hadro-leptonic jet code -- ExHaLe-jet -- which considers simultaneously the processes of relativistic protons and electrons. Within a pre-set geometry and bulk flow, the particle evolution is derived self-consistently. Highly relativistic secondary electrons (and positrons) are created through \(\gamma\)-\(\gamma\) pair production, Bethe-Heitler pair production, and pion/muon decay. These secondaries are entrained in the jet flow decreasing the ratio of protons to electrons with distance from the jet base. For particle-photon interactions, we consider all internal and many external photon fields, such as the accretion disk, broad-line region, and the dusty torus. The external fields turn out to be the most important source for particle-photon interactions governing the resulting photon and neutrino spectra. In this paper, we present the code and an initial parameter study, while in follow-up works we present extensions of the code and more specific applications.
Context. Gamma-ray binaries are systems that radiate the dominant part of their non-thermal emission in the gamma-ray band. In a wind-driven scenario, these binaries are thought to consist of a ...pulsar orbiting a massive star, accelerating particles in the shock arising in the wind collision. Aims. We develop a comprehensive, numerical model for the non-thermal emission of shock accelerated particles including the dynamical effects of fluid instabilities and orbital motion. We demonstrate the model on a generic binary system. Methods. The model is built on a dedicated three-dimensional particle transport simulation for the accelerated particles dynamically coupled to a simultaneous relativistic hydrodynamic simulation of the wind interaction. In a post-processing step, a leptonic emission model involving synchrotron and inverse Compton emission is evaluated based on resulting particle distributions and fluid solutions, consistently accounting for relativistic boosting and \(\gamma\gamma\)-absorption in the stellar radiation field. The model is implemented as an extension to the Cronos code. Results. In the generic binary, the wind interaction leads to the formation of an extended, asymmetric wind-collision region distorted by the effects of orbital motion, mixing and turbulence giving rise to strong shocks terminating the pulsar wind and secondary shocks in the turbulent fluid flow. With the presented approach it is, for the first time, possible to consistently account for the dynamical shock structure in particle transport processes, yielding a complex distribution of accelerated particles. The predicted emission extends over a broad region of energy, with significant orbital modulation in all bands.
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