Leptonic or Hadronic Emission: X-Ray Radiation Mechanism of Large-scale Jet Knots in 3C 273
arXiv:2003.02045 · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab7d35
Abstract
A comprehensively theoretical analysis on the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of large-scale jet knots in 3C 273 is presented for revealing their X-ray radiation mechanism. We show that these SEDs cannot be explained with a single electron population model when the Doppler boosting effect is either considered or not. By adding a more energetic electron (the leptonic model) or proton (the hadronic model) population, the SEDs of all knots are well represented. In the leptonic model, the electron population that contributes the X-ray emission is more energetic than the one responsible for the radio-optical emission by almost two orders of magnitude; the derived equipartition magnetic field strengths (B_eq) are ~0.1 mG. In the hadronic model, the protons with energy of ~20 PeV are required to interpret the observed X-rays; the B_eq values are several mG, larger than that in the leptonic model. Based on the fact that no resolved substructures are observed in these knots and the fast cooling-time of the high-energy electrons is difficult to explain the observed X-ray morphologies, we argue that two distinct electron populations accelerated in these knots are unreasonable and their X-ray emission would be attributed to the proton synchrotron radiation accelerated in these knots. In case of these knots have relativistic motion towards the observer, the super-Eddington issue of the hadronic model could be avoided. Multiwavelength polarimetry and the gamma-ray observations with high resolution may be helpful to discriminate these models.
arXiv comment24 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ
References in corpus (49)
- emcee: The MCMC Hammer
- MOJAVE: Monitoring of Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei with VLBA Experiments. VI. Kinematics Analysis of a Complete Sample of Blazar Jets
- Doppler factors, Lorentz factors and viewing angles for quasars, BL Lacertae objects and radio galaxies
- X-ray Emission from Extragalactic Jets
- Fermi Gamma-ray Imaging of a Radio Galaxy
- MOJAVE. XVII. Jet Kinematics and Parent Population Properties of Relativistically Beamed Radio-Loud Blazars
- Analytical solutions for energy spectra of electrons accelerated by nonrelativistic shock-waves in shell type supernova remnants
- X-ray Emission Properties of Large Scale Jets, Hotspots and Lobes in Active Galactic Nuclei
- Proton synchrotron radiation of large-scale jets in active galactic nuclei
- The powerful outburst in Hercules A
- Chemical enrichment in the cluster of galaxies Hydra A
- On the masses of black-holes in radio-loud quasars
- On the Location of the Acceleration and Emission Sites in Gamma-Ray Blazars
- Large-scale cosmic-ray anisotropies above 4 EeV measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
- New Chandra observations of the jet in 3C273. I. Softer X-ray than radio spectra and the X-ray emission mechanism
- Constraints on the origin of cosmic rays above eV from large scale anisotropy searches in data of the Pierre Auger Observatory
- On the jet properties of the gamma-ray loud active galactic nuclei
- Shedding New Light on the 3C 273 Jet with the Spitzer Space Telescope
- Relativistic and slowing down: the flow in the hotspots of powerful radio galaxies and quasars
- The Electron Energy Distribution in the Hotspots of Cygnus A: Filling the Gap with the Spitzer Space Telescope
- F-GAMMA: Variability Doppler factors of blazars from multiwavelength monitoring
- Cavities and shocks in the galaxy group HCG 62 as revealed by Chandra, XMM and GMRT data
- Testing the beamed inverse-Compton model for jet X-ray emission: velocity structure and deceleration?
- The radio-ultraviolet spectral energy distribution of the jet in 3C273
- Bayesian inference of jet bulk-flow speeds in FRII radio sources
- Ruling out IC/CMB X-rays in PKS 0637-752 and the Implications for TeV Emission from Large-Scale Quasar Jets
- On the jet speeds of classical double radio sources
- Quasar X-ray jets: Gamma-ray diagnostics of the synchrotron and inverse Compton hypotheses, the case of 3C 273
- Hubble Space Telescope far-ultraviolet imaging of the jet in 3C273: a common emission component from optical to X-rays
- A large-scale shock surrounding a powerful radio galaxy
- A high resolution view of the jet termination shock in a hot spot of the nearby radio galaxy Pictor A: implications for X-ray models of radio galaxy hot spots
- A Chandra Study of the Lobe/ISM Interactions Around the Inner Radio Lobes of Centaurus A: Constraints on the Temperature Structure and Transport Processes
- Deep Chandra and multicolor HST observations of the jets of 3C 371 and PKS 2201+044
- Large-scale jets from active galactic nuclei as a source of ICM heating: cavities and shocks
- Search for EeV Protons of Galactic Origin
- X-ray Radiation Mechanisms and Beaming Effect of Hot Spots and Knots in Active Galactic Nuclear Jets
- Detecting Relativistic X-ray Jets in High-Redshift Quasars
- The energy distribution of relativistic electrons in the kilo-parsec scale jet of M87 with Chandra
- Comparing 3C 120 jet emission at small and large scales
- An HST Proper-Motion Study of the Large-scale Jet of 3C273
- CMB-induced radio quenching of high-redshift jetted AGNs with highly magnetic hotspots
- The Origin of the X-ray Emission in Two Well-Aligned Extragalactic Jets: The Case for IC/CMB
- Examining High Energy Radiation Mechanisms of Knots and Hotspots in Active Galactic Nucleus Jets
- Origin of the X-rays and Possible GeV-TeV Emission from the Western Hot Spot Of Pictor A
- On the energy distribution of relativistic electrons in the young supernova remnant G1.9+0.3
- Possible Proton Synchrotron Origin of X-Ray & Gamma Ray Emission in Large Scale Jet of 3C 273
- Jet Radiation Properties of 4C +49.22: from the Core to Large-Scale Knots
- Fermi/LAT observations of Lobe-dominant Radio Galaxy 3C 207 and Possible Radiation Region of the Gamma-Rays
- A Photo-Hadronic Model of the Large Scale Jets of 3C 273 and PKS 1136-135