Abstract
The collimated beams of relativistic particles ejected from the central engines of extragalactic radio sources are traced out by means of the jet-like features of nonthermal radio emission which are observed to extend up to a few hundred kiloparsecs1–4. These jets exhibit departures from linearity in a variety of ways. In some less luminous large radio galaxies, the jets show structures with a distinctive S-shaped bending (inversion symmetry) at distances of the order of 100 kpc from the galactic nucleus5–8. We propose here that such a sharp bending can result from interaction of the relativistic beam fluid with faint, rotating shells similar to those seen around some nearby galaxies9, and discuss the possible implications of this hypothesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rees, M. J. Nature 275, 516–517 (1978).
Miley, G. K. An. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 18, 165–218 (1980).
Kellermann, K. I. & Pauliny-Toth, I. I. K. An. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 19, 373–410 (1981).
Bridle, A. H. IAU Symp. No. 97, 121–128 (1982).
Ekers, R. D., Fanti, R., Lari, C. & Parma, P. Nature 276, 588–590 (1978).
Bridle, A. H., Davis, M. M., Fomalont, E. B., Willis, A. G. & Strom, R. G. Astrophys. J. Lett. 228, L9–L14 (1979).
Högbom, J. A. Astr. Astrophys. Suppl. 36, 173–192 (1979).
Pooley, G. G. IAU Symp. No. 97, 53–54 (1982).
Malin, D. F. & Carter, D. Nature 285, 643–645 (1980).
Readhead, A. C. S., Cohen, M. H. & Pearson, T. J. Nature 276, 768–771 (1978).
Saunders, R., Baldwin, J. E., Pooley, G. G. & Warner, P. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 197, 287–300 (1981).
Laing, R. A. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 193, 427–437 (1980).
Vallèe, J. P., Bridle, A. H. & Wilson, A. S. Astrophys. J. 250, 66–78 (1981).
Jenkins, C. J., Pooley, G. G. & Riley, J. M. Mem. R. astr. Soc. 84, 61–99 (1977).
Bridle, A. H., Fomalont, E. B. & Cornwell, T. J. Astr. J. 86, 1294–1305 (1981).
Perley, R. A., Willis, A. G. & Scott, J. S. Nature 281, 437–442 (1979).
Miley, G. K., Perola, G. C., van der Kruit, P. C. & van der Laan Nature 237, 269–272 (1972).
Rees, M. J., Begelman, M. C. & Blandford, R. D. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 375, 254–286 (1981).
Ekers, R. D., Fanti, R., Lari, C. & Parma, P. Astr. Astrophys. 101, 194–214 (1981).
Shaver, P. A. et al. IAU Symp. No. 97, 55–57 (1982).
Ekers, R. D. IAU Symp. No. 97, 465–474 (1982).
Bridle, A. H. et al. Nature 262, 179–182 (1976).
Miley, G. K. in Physics of Nonthermal Sources (ed. Setti, G.) 1–26 (Proc. NATO Summer School, Reidel, Dordrecht, 1976).
Kundt, W. & Gopal-Krishna Astrophys. Space Sci. 75, 257–272 (1981).
Willis, A. G., Strom, R. G., Bridle, A. H. & Fomalont, E. B. Astr. Astrophys. 95, 250–265 (1981).
Haynes, R. F., Cannon, R. D. & Ekers, R. D. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. (submitted).
Gower, A. C., Gregory, P. C., Hutchings, J. B. & Unruh, W. G. Astrophys. J. 262, 478–496 (1982).
Wirth, A., Smarr, L. & Gallagher, J. S. Astr. J. 87, 602–615 (1982).
Quinn, P. J. thesis, Univ. Canberra (1982).
Baldwin, J. E. IAU Symp. No. 97, 21–24 (1982).
Scheuer, P. A. G. IAU Symp. No. 97, 163–165 (1982).
Wardle, J. F. C. & Potash, R. I. IAU Symp. No. 97, 129–131 (1982).
Wilkinson, P. N. IAU Symp. No. 97, 149–156 (1982).
Stocke, J., Christiansen, W. & Burns, J. IAU Symp. No. 97, 39–40 (1982).
Miller, J. S. Publ. Astr. Soc. Pacif. 93, 681–693 (1981).
Hutchings, J. B., Campbell, B. & Crampton, D. Astrophys. J. Lett. 261, L23–L29 (1982).
Hutchings, J. B., Crampton, D., Campbell, B., Gower, A. C. & Morris, S. C. Astrophys. J. 262, 48–60 (1982).
Stockton, A. Astrophys. J. 257, 33–39 (1982).
van der Kruit, P. C., Oort, J. H. & Mathewson, D. S. Astr. Astrophys. 21, 169 (1972).
Wilson, A. S. IAU Symp. No. 97, 179–188 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gopal-Krishna, Chitre, S. Inversion symmetry of radio lobes in extragalactic sources. Nature 303, 217–218 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303217a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303217a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
