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Radio-frequency heating of emission-line gas near compact extragalactic radio sourcesHigh-brightness-temperature radio sources significantly heat by free-free absorption any nearby gas that has properties similar to those inferred for QSO emission-line gas. As a result, the outer layers of the gas clouds expand, and their visible line emission decreases. Moderate heating enhances the collisionally excited ultraviolet line of O VI at 1034 A. Stronger heating penetrates the entire cloud and extinguishes all lines. Strong enough radio fluxes cause a thermal instability by stimulated Compton heating that is only saturated by Compton cooling at very high temperatures. It is speculated that BL Lac objects differ from quasars by having higher radio turnover frequencies, lower gas pressures, or more violent variability, all of which make radio heating more effective.
Document ID
19790046035
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Krolik, J. H.
(Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, N.J., United States)
Mckee, C. F.
(California, University Berkeley, Calif., United States)
Tarter, C. B.
(California, University Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1978
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: Pittsburgh Conference on BL Lac Objects
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Start Date: April 24, 1978
End Date: April 26, 1978
Sponsors: NSF
Accession Number
79A30048
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-05-003-497
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF PHY-77-20612
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-75-02181
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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