1995A&A...294..366B -
Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 294, 366-376 (1995/2-2)
Gamma-rays from the funnels of thick accretion disks around active galactic nuclei.
BEDNAREK W. and KIRK J.G.
Abstract (from CDS):
We analyse the propagation of particles in the narrow funnel of a thick accretion disk. It is assumed that: (1) the funnel walls emit black body radiation with temperature decreasing outwards; (2) the magnetic and electric fields are longitudinal in the funnel. Such a scenario is consistent with models in which a large potential drop is induced by a rotating massive black hole threaded by a magnetic field (Blandford & Znajek; Macdonald & Thorne). The interaction of relativistic protons with thermal photons from the funnel results in direct production of e± pairs and/or pions. We discuss the relative importance of these processes for different conditions in the funnel (temperature and electric field profiles). Injected e± pairs interact with thermal photons in the Thomson or Klein-Nishina regime. Under some conditions, a pair avalanche results, which we assume saturates in the production of stable bunches, containing almost equal numbers of electrons and positrons. As a consequence, highly collimated γ-ray photons are produced. We obtain γ-ray spectra from our model in order to test its applicability to the γ-ray emitting AGNs recently reported by EGRET.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
gamma rays: theory - galaxies: active - quasars: individual: CTA 102 , QSO 1633+382 = 4C 38.41
Simbad objects:
4
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