Pulsars, transients and relativistic astrophysics

Abstract:

Radio spectra of radio galaxies are often ascribed a simple power law form (S-v proportional to v(alpha)) with the spectral index, alpha, being approximately -0.7. However, all radio galaxies deviate from this simple power law behaviour. In this paper we derive simple expressions for the average rest-frame spectra of FRI and FRII radio galaxies. These will be used to describe the spectral curvature of the parent (FRI and FRII) populations in models of radio source evolution.

Abstract:

We discuss the relative contributions made by shocks, plasma instabilities and undisturbed flows to the emission and dynamics of compact, extragalactic jets. We summarize recent, in-depth studies of the jets in 3C 273 and 3C 345 and show that interpretation of these result calls for a new paradigm for the parsec-scale jets. Contrary to the commonly accepted views, the observed properties of the jets in these objects indicate that extragalactic jets remain relatively undisturbed on scales of similar to1-10 parsec. Farther on, on scales of similar to10-100 parsec, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities become the main contributor to the observed emission and kinematic changes. Relativistic shocks appear to be gaining prominence only on larger, sub-kiloparsec scales.

Abstract:

Numerical simulations suggest that, depending on, the jet parameters and on the properties of the external medium, two radically different morphologies for the lobes of extended radio sources can be expected. Analysis of maps of FRII radio sources shows that indeed such a dichotomy is reproduced in real radio sources: their lobes display either a "spearhead" or a "fat" morphology, characterised by the lobe aspect ratio. It therefore appears possible to derive information on the jet physical parameters from the radio lobe morphology.