Publication Date:
2011-08-18
Description:
The Einstein X-ray Observatory has confirmed the HEAO 1 detection of the NRAO 140 and NRAO 530 quasars, and found that the low-energy X-ray flux of NRAO 140 is consistent with the high-energy results from the earlier satellite. It is also determined that the X-ray emission from NRAO 530 has either decreased by an order of magnitude, from 1978.0 to 1979.7, or the HEAO 1 field contained a second bright source. The two sources have been observed at 2.8 cm, using a four-station intercontinental VLB array, to find whether the X-ray emission is caused by Compton scattering within the radio components. Dissection of the NRAO 140 into its separate components shows radio parameters that imply a 'Compton problem', in that X-ray emission three orders of magnitude greater than that observed is predicted in one of the components if the source is static. Because the effect is independent of distance, relativistic motion with a Lorentz factor greater than about 40 is required to bring the predicted X-ray flux down to the observed value.
Keywords:
ASTRONOMY
Type:
Astrophysical Journal; vol. 249
Format:
text
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