Measurement of the Electric Current in a kpc-scale Jet
Abstract
We present radio emission, polarization, and Faraday rotation maps of the radio jet of the galaxy 3C303. From these data we derive the magnetoplasma and electrodynamic parameters of this 50 kpc long jet. For one component of this jet we obtain for the first time a direct determination of a galactic-scale electric current (~3 × 1018 A), and its direction—positive away from the active galactic nucleus. Our analysis strongly supports a model where the jet energy flow is mainly electromagnetic.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 2011
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1106.1397
- Bibcode:
- 2011ApJ...741L..15K
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: jets;
- galaxies: magnetic fields;
- plasmas;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Galaxy Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 2 figures. Published in ApJLetters v741, L15, November 2011
