Abstract
RADIO-ASTRONOMICAL observations have recently clarified the link between the components of extended double sources and the primary power supply in the central galactic nucleus. The new data vindicate the general idea1–4 that power is continuously supplied by beams; it seems, furthermore, that the beams are collimated in a scale little larger than the central power supply (≪ 1 pc), and that the orientation remains fairly steady over the whole lifetime. The giant double source 3C236, 2 × 107 light yr in total extent5,6, has a compact central component aligned with the overall axis7; a similar phenomenon is observed in Cygnus A (ref. 8). In NGC6251, a straight jet 200 kpc long9 emanates from a ‘blowtorch’ ≲ 0.1 pc wide in the galactic nucleus10. There is a radio jet11 in 3C147 reminiscent of the well-known features in M87 and 3C273; and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) reveals linear structure in several compact extragalactic sources12. It is argued here that collimation occurs close to a central collapsed object, and that the beams are orientated along its spin axis. Strong-field gravitational effects then stabilise the beams against jitter even if the gas fuelling the source has an inconstant flow pattern. Radio galaxies where the beam axis seems to have gradually drifted or swung, rather than pointing in a constant direction, may belong to a special class that have experienced collisions and recurrent nuclear activity.
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 229, 312 (1971).
Scheuer, P. A. G. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 166, 513 (1974).
Blandford, R. D. & Rees, M. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 169, 395 (1974).
Blandford, R. D. & Rees, M. J. Physica Scripta 17, 265 (1978).
Willis, A. G., Strom, R. G. & Wilson, A. S. Nature 250, 625 (1974).
Willis, A. G. Physica Scripta 17, 243 (1978).
Fomalont, E. B. & Miley, G. K. Nature 257, 99 (1975).
Kellermann, K. I., Clarke, B. G., Niell, A. E. & Shaffer, D. B. Astrophys. J. Lett. 197, L113 (1975).
Waggett, J. A., Warner, P. J. & Baldwin, J. E. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 181, 465 (1977).
Readhead, A. C. S., Cohen, M. H. & Blandford, R. D. Nature 272, 131 (1978).
Wilkinson, P. N., Readhead, A. C. S., Purcell, G. H. & Anderson, B. Nature 269, 764 (1977).
Kellermann, K. I. Physica Scripta 17, 257 (1978).
Blandford, R. D., McKee, C. F. & Rees, M. J. Nature 267, 211 (1977).
Rieke, G. H. et al. Nature 260, 754 (1976).
Blandford, R. D. & Rees, M. J. in BL Lac Objects (ed. Wolfe, A. M.) (in the press).
Shklovskii, I. S. Sov. Astr. A. J. 21, 401 (1977).
Graham, I. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 149, 319 (1970).
Rees, M. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. (in the press).
Salpeter, E. E. Astrophys. J. 140, 796 (1964).
Hills, J. G. Nature 254, 295 (1975).
Hills, J. G. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 182, 517 (1978).
Fabian, A. C., Maccagni, D., Rees, M. J. & Stoeger, W. R. Nature 260, 683 (1976).
Lynden-Bell, D. Nature 233, 690 (1969).
Shields, G. A. & Wheeler, J. C. Astrophys. Lett. 17, 69 (1976).
Blandford, R. D. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 176, 465 (1976).
Blandford, R. D. & Znajek, R. N. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 179, 433 (1977).
Lovelace, R. V. E. Nature 223, 690 (1976).
Rees, M. J. Physica Scripta 17, 193 (1978).
Fishbone, L. G. & Moncrief, V. Astrophys. J. 207, 962 (1976).
Kozlowski, M., Jarozynski, M. & Abramowitz, M. A. Astr. Astrophys. 63, 209 (1978).
Lynden-Bell, D. Physica Scripta 17, 185 (1978).
Frank, J. thesis, Cambridge Univ. (1978).
Gunn, J. E. in Proc. Cambridge Quasar Conf. (in the press).
Binney, J. J. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 183, 779 (1978).
Gisler, G. R. Astr. Astrophys. 51, 137 (1976).
Bardeen, J. M. & Petterson, J. A. Astrophys. J. Lett. 195, L65 (1974).
Ostriker, J. P. & Hausman, M. A. Astrophys. J. Lett. 217, L125 (1977).
Hanni, R. S. Astr. Astrophys. Lett. (in the press).
Miley, G. K. in Physics of Non-Thermal Radio Sources (ed. Setti, G.) (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1976).
Wellington, K. J., Miley, G. K. & & van der Laan, H. Nature 244, 502 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
REES, M. Relativistic jets and beams in radio galaxies. Nature 275, 516–517 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275516a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/275516a0
This article is cited by
-
Modeling the motion of a bright spot in jets from black holes M87* and SgrA*
General Relativity and Gravitation (2021)
-
Inversion symmetry of radio lobes in extragalactic sources
Nature (1983)
-
Relativistic magnetic loops in double radio sources
Astrophysics and Space Science (1983)
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.
