Theoretical Modeling and Multiwavelength Observations of Powerful Quasar Jets
| dc.contributor.advisor | Meyer, Eileen T | |
| dc.contributor.author | Breiding, Peter | |
| dc.contributor.department | Physics | |
| dc.contributor.program | Physics, Applied | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-01-29T18:13:29Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-01-29T18:13:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-01-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The Chandra X-ray Observatory has discovered kpc-scale X-ray jets in many powerful quasars over the past 2 decades (Harris & Krawczynski, 2006). In many cases, these X-rays cannot be explained by the extension of the radio-optical spectrum produced by synchrotron-emitting electrons in the jet, since the observed X-ray flux is too high and/or the X-ray spectral index is too hard. A widely accepted model for the X-ray emission, first proposed by Celotti et al. (2001) and Tavecchio et al. (2000), posits that the X-rays are produced when relativistic electrons in the jet up-scatter ambient cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons via inverse-Compton scattering from microwave to X-ray energies (the IC/CMB model). However, modeling the X-ray emission in these jets with the IC/CMB model requires high levels of IC/CMB gamma-ray emission (Georganopoulos et al., 2006), which we have looked for using the Fermi/LAT gamma-ray space telescope. Another viable model for the large scale jet X-ray emission, favored by the results of Meyer et al. (2015) and Meyer & Georganopoulos (2014), is a second population of synchrotron-emitting electrons with up to multi-TeV energies. In contrast with the second synchrotron interpretation, the IC/CMB model requires jets with high kinetic powers (exceeding the Eddington luminosity in some cases), which remain highly relativistic (?~10) up to kpc scales. In this thesis, I will present recently obtained deep gamma-ray upper-limits from the Fermi/LAT which rule out the IC/CMB model in a large sample of sources previously modeled with IC/CMB, and discuss the properties of the growing sample of non-IC/CMB anomalous X-ray jets and the implications for jet energetics and environmental impact. Additionally, I will present a model for the GeV emission observed in powerful gamma-ray flaring blazars, thought to originate several pc away from the central engine. | |
| dc.format | application:pdf | |
| dc.genre | dissertations | |
| dc.identifier | doi:10.13016/m2updd-ayzl | |
| dc.identifier.other | 11926 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11603/20861 | |
| dc.language | en | |
| dc.relation.isAvailableAt | The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Physics Department Collection | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Graduate School Collection | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Student Collection | |
| dc.source | Original File Name: Breiding_umbc_0434D_11926.pdf | |
| dc.subject | Active Galactic Nuclei | |
| dc.subject | Blazars | |
| dc.subject | Jets | |
| dc.subject | Quasars | |
| dc.subject | Radiative Processes | |
| dc.title | Theoretical Modeling and Multiwavelength Observations of Powerful Quasar Jets | |
| dc.type | Text | |
| dcterms.accessRights | Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author. | |
| dcterms.accessRights | Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission. | |
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