Publication Date:
2019-08-28
Description:
Studies of nonthermal radio emission in the inner regions of active galaxies reveal clear morphological evidence for shock waves. It is argued that the shocks are driven by collimated outflow of plasma from the AGN. I describe a model in which the synchrotron radio emission arises from ambient relativistic electrons and magnetic fields which have been compressed in a radiative shock wave. No active particle acceleration at the shock front is required in this picture. The prospects for diagnosing active acceleration from radio continuum and optical emission line observations are briefly discussed.
Keywords:
SPACE RADIATION
Type:
In: Particle acceleration in cosmic plasmas; Proceedings of the Workshop, Bartol Research Inst., Newark, DE, Dec. 4-6, 1991 (A93-39976 16-93); p. 417-423.
Format:
text
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