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The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst. / Marscher, Alan P.; Jorstad, Svetlana G.; D'Arcangelo, Francesca D.; Smith, Paul S.; Williams, G. Grant; Larionov, Valeri M.; Oh, Haruki; Olmstead, Alice R.; Aller, Margo F.; Aller, Hugh D.; McHardy, Ian M.; Lähteenmäki, Anne; Tornikoski, Merja; Valtaoja, Esko; Hagen-Thorn, Vladimir A.; Kopatskaya, Eugenia N.; Gear, Walter K.; Tosti, Gino; Kurtanidze, Omar; Nikolashvili, Maria; Sigua, Lorand; Miller, H. Richard; Ryle, Wesley T.

In: Nature, Vol. 452, No. 7190, 24.04.2008, p. 966-969.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Harvard

Marscher, AP, Jorstad, SG, D'Arcangelo, FD, Smith, PS, Williams, GG, Larionov, VM, Oh, H, Olmstead, AR, Aller, MF, Aller, HD, McHardy, IM, Lähteenmäki, A, Tornikoski, M, Valtaoja, E, Hagen-Thorn, VA, Kopatskaya, EN, Gear, WK, Tosti, G, Kurtanidze, O, Nikolashvili, M, Sigua, L, Miller, HR & Ryle, WT 2008, 'The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst', Nature, vol. 452, no. 7190, pp. 966-969. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06895

APA

Marscher, A. P., Jorstad, S. G., D'Arcangelo, F. D., Smith, P. S., Williams, G. G., Larionov, V. M., Oh, H., Olmstead, A. R., Aller, M. F., Aller, H. D., McHardy, I. M., Lähteenmäki, A., Tornikoski, M., Valtaoja, E., Hagen-Thorn, V. A., Kopatskaya, E. N., Gear, W. K., Tosti, G., Kurtanidze, O., ... Ryle, W. T. (2008). The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst. Nature, 452(7190), 966-969. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06895

Vancouver

Marscher AP, Jorstad SG, D'Arcangelo FD, Smith PS, Williams GG, Larionov VM et al. The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst. Nature. 2008 Apr 24;452(7190):966-969. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06895

Author

Marscher, Alan P. ; Jorstad, Svetlana G. ; D'Arcangelo, Francesca D. ; Smith, Paul S. ; Williams, G. Grant ; Larionov, Valeri M. ; Oh, Haruki ; Olmstead, Alice R. ; Aller, Margo F. ; Aller, Hugh D. ; McHardy, Ian M. ; Lähteenmäki, Anne ; Tornikoski, Merja ; Valtaoja, Esko ; Hagen-Thorn, Vladimir A. ; Kopatskaya, Eugenia N. ; Gear, Walter K. ; Tosti, Gino ; Kurtanidze, Omar ; Nikolashvili, Maria ; Sigua, Lorand ; Miller, H. Richard ; Ryle, Wesley T. / The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst. In: Nature. 2008 ; Vol. 452, No. 7190. pp. 966-969.

BibTeX

@article{6307bc0a6a7c4b8a9e42476349119153,
title = "The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst",
abstract = "Blazars are the most extreme active galactic nuclei. They possess oppositely directed plasma jets emanating at near light speeds from accreting supermassive black holes. According to theoretical models, such jets are propelled by magnetic fields twisted by differential rotation of the black hole's accretion disk or inertial-frame-dragging ergosphere. The flow velocity increases outward along the jet in an acceleration and collimation zone containing a coiled magnetic field. Detailed observations of outbursts of electromagnetic radiation, for which blazars are famous, can potentially probe the zone. It has hitherto not been possible to either specify the location of the outbursts or verify the general picture of jet formation. Here we report sequences of high-resolution radio images and optical polarization measurements of the blazar BL Lacertae. The data reveal a bright feature in the jet that causes a double flare of radiation from optical frequencies to TeV γ-ray energies, as well as a delayed outburst at radio wavelengths. We conclude that the event starts in a region with a helical magnetic field that we identify with the acceleration and collimation zone predicted by the theories. The feature brightens again when it crosses a standing shock wave corresponding to the bright 'core' seen on the images.",
author = "Marscher, {Alan P.} and Jorstad, {Svetlana G.} and D'Arcangelo, {Francesca D.} and Smith, {Paul S.} and Williams, {G. Grant} and Larionov, {Valeri M.} and Haruki Oh and Olmstead, {Alice R.} and Aller, {Margo F.} and Aller, {Hugh D.} and McHardy, {Ian M.} and Anne L{\"a}hteenm{\"a}ki and Merja Tornikoski and Esko Valtaoja and Hagen-Thorn, {Vladimir A.} and Kopatskaya, {Eugenia N.} and Gear, {Walter K.} and Gino Tosti and Omar Kurtanidze and Maria Nikolashvili and Lorand Sigua and Miller, {H. Richard} and Ryle, {Wesley T.}",
note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The authors thank N. Vlahakis for discussions. The research reported here is based on work supported in part by the US National Science Foundation, NASA, the Russian Fund for Basic Research, the Academy of Finland, and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The Very Long Baseline Array is an instrument of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.",
year = "2008",
month = apr,
day = "24",
doi = "10.1038/nature06895",
language = "English",
volume = "452",
pages = "966--969",
journal = "Nature",
issn = "0028-0836",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "7190",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst

AU - Marscher, Alan P.

AU - Jorstad, Svetlana G.

AU - D'Arcangelo, Francesca D.

AU - Smith, Paul S.

AU - Williams, G. Grant

AU - Larionov, Valeri M.

AU - Oh, Haruki

AU - Olmstead, Alice R.

AU - Aller, Margo F.

AU - Aller, Hugh D.

AU - McHardy, Ian M.

AU - Lähteenmäki, Anne

AU - Tornikoski, Merja

AU - Valtaoja, Esko

AU - Hagen-Thorn, Vladimir A.

AU - Kopatskaya, Eugenia N.

AU - Gear, Walter K.

AU - Tosti, Gino

AU - Kurtanidze, Omar

AU - Nikolashvili, Maria

AU - Sigua, Lorand

AU - Miller, H. Richard

AU - Ryle, Wesley T.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The authors thank N. Vlahakis for discussions. The research reported here is based on work supported in part by the US National Science Foundation, NASA, the Russian Fund for Basic Research, the Academy of Finland, and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The Very Long Baseline Array is an instrument of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

PY - 2008/4/24

Y1 - 2008/4/24

N2 - Blazars are the most extreme active galactic nuclei. They possess oppositely directed plasma jets emanating at near light speeds from accreting supermassive black holes. According to theoretical models, such jets are propelled by magnetic fields twisted by differential rotation of the black hole's accretion disk or inertial-frame-dragging ergosphere. The flow velocity increases outward along the jet in an acceleration and collimation zone containing a coiled magnetic field. Detailed observations of outbursts of electromagnetic radiation, for which blazars are famous, can potentially probe the zone. It has hitherto not been possible to either specify the location of the outbursts or verify the general picture of jet formation. Here we report sequences of high-resolution radio images and optical polarization measurements of the blazar BL Lacertae. The data reveal a bright feature in the jet that causes a double flare of radiation from optical frequencies to TeV γ-ray energies, as well as a delayed outburst at radio wavelengths. We conclude that the event starts in a region with a helical magnetic field that we identify with the acceleration and collimation zone predicted by the theories. The feature brightens again when it crosses a standing shock wave corresponding to the bright 'core' seen on the images.

AB - Blazars are the most extreme active galactic nuclei. They possess oppositely directed plasma jets emanating at near light speeds from accreting supermassive black holes. According to theoretical models, such jets are propelled by magnetic fields twisted by differential rotation of the black hole's accretion disk or inertial-frame-dragging ergosphere. The flow velocity increases outward along the jet in an acceleration and collimation zone containing a coiled magnetic field. Detailed observations of outbursts of electromagnetic radiation, for which blazars are famous, can potentially probe the zone. It has hitherto not been possible to either specify the location of the outbursts or verify the general picture of jet formation. Here we report sequences of high-resolution radio images and optical polarization measurements of the blazar BL Lacertae. The data reveal a bright feature in the jet that causes a double flare of radiation from optical frequencies to TeV γ-ray energies, as well as a delayed outburst at radio wavelengths. We conclude that the event starts in a region with a helical magnetic field that we identify with the acceleration and collimation zone predicted by the theories. The feature brightens again when it crosses a standing shock wave corresponding to the bright 'core' seen on the images.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=42549168927&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nature06895

DO - 10.1038/nature06895

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:42549168927

VL - 452

SP - 966

EP - 969

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

SN - 0028-0836

IS - 7190

ER -

ID: 88376186