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The Evolution of Shocks in Blazar Jets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2013

Geoffrey V. Bicknell  and
Stefan J. Wagner
Geoffrey V. Bicknell
Affiliation:
Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mt Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston, ACT 2611; Geoff.Bicknell@anu.edu.au Department of Physics and Theoretical Physics, ANU, Canberra, ACT 0200
Stefan J. Wagner
Affiliation:
Landessternwarte, Koenigstuhl, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; S.Wagner@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de
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Abstract

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We consider the shock structures that can arise in blazar jets as a consequence of variations in the jet flow velocity. There are two possible cases: (1) a double shock system consisting of both a forward and reverse shock, and (2) a single shock (either forward or reverse) together with a rarefaction wave. These possibilities depend upon the relative velocity of the two different sections of jet. Using previously calculated spherical models for estimates of the magnetic field and electron number density of the emission region in the TeV blazar Mkn 501, we show that this region is in the form of a thin disk in the plasma rest frame. It is possible to reconcile spectral and pair opacity constraints for Mkn 501 for Doppler factors in the range of 10–20. This is easiest if the corrections for TeV absorption by the infrared background are not as large as implied by recent models.

Keywords

acceleration of particlesBL Lacertae objects: generalBL Lacertae objects: individual (Mkn 501)gamma rays: theory
Type
Research Article
Information
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , 2002 , pp. 129 - 137
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 2002

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