The lighthouse effect of relativistic jets in blazars. A geometric originof intraday variability.
Abstract
Variability in the radio and optical wave band as well as moving features detected by VLBI observations are commonly explained in terms of shocks propagating in relativistic collimated flows. These models do not take into account the rapid rotation of plasma near a rotating black hole. We show, however, that both phenomena are related to nonaxisymmetric bubbles carried along by the plasma in relativistic magnetized jets. The quasi-periodicity observed in outbursts follows from the fundamental period of the rotating jet plasma, if the jets are perfectly collimated with opening angles of not more than 0.1 degree. This rotation is observed in the VLBI knots on scales of a hundred microarcseconds.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- February 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992A&A...255...59C
- Keywords:
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- Active Galactic Nuclei;
- Blazars;
- Plasma Jets;
- Relativistic Plasmas;
- Collimation;
- Magnetization;
- Periodic Variations;
- Rotating Plasmas;
- Astrophysics