Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events
We use a sample of 54 compact symmetric objects (CSOs) to confirm that there are two unrelated CSO classes: an edge-dimmed, low-luminosity class (CSO 1), and an edge-brightened, high-luminosity class (CSO 2). Using blind tests, we show that CSO 2s consist of three subclasses: CSO 2.0, having promine...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad0c55 |
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| author | A. C. S Readhead V. Ravi R. D. Blandford A. G. Sullivan J. Somalwar M. C. Begelman M. Birkinshaw I. Liodakis M. L. Lister T. J. Pearson G. B. Taylor P. N. Wilkinson N. Globus S. Kiehlmann C. R. Lawrence D. Murphy S. O’Neill V. Pavlidou E. Sheldahl A. Siemiginowska K. Tassis |
| author_facet | A. C. S Readhead V. Ravi R. D. Blandford A. G. Sullivan J. Somalwar M. C. Begelman M. Birkinshaw I. Liodakis M. L. Lister T. J. Pearson G. B. Taylor P. N. Wilkinson N. Globus S. Kiehlmann C. R. Lawrence D. Murphy S. O’Neill V. Pavlidou E. Sheldahl A. Siemiginowska K. Tassis |
| author_sort | A. C. S Readhead |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We use a sample of 54 compact symmetric objects (CSOs) to confirm that there are two unrelated CSO classes: an edge-dimmed, low-luminosity class (CSO 1), and an edge-brightened, high-luminosity class (CSO 2). Using blind tests, we show that CSO 2s consist of three subclasses: CSO 2.0, having prominent hot spots at the leading edges of narrow jets and/or narrow lobes; CSO 2.2, without prominent hot spots and with broad jets and/or lobes; and CSO 2.1, which exhibit mixed properties. Most CSO 2s do not evolve into larger jetted active galactic nuclei (AGN), but spend their whole life cycle as CSOs of size ≲500 pc and age ≲5000 yr. The minimum energies needed to produce the radio luminosity and structure in CSO 2s range from ∼10 ^−4 M _⊙ c ^2 to ∼7 M _⊙ c ^2 . We show that the transient nature of most CSO 2s, and their birth rate, can be explained through ignition in the tidal disruption events of stars. We also consider possibilities of tapping the spin energy of the supermassive black hole, and tapping the energy of the accretion disk. Our results demonstrate that CSOs constitute a large family of AGN in which we have thus far studied only the brightest. More comprehensive CSO studies, with higher sensitivity, resolution, and dynamic range, will revolutionize our understanding of AGN and the central engines that power them. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:22:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02064a117a3345868f790e61f53e83cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:22:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-02064a117a3345868f790e61f53e83cf2024-01-31T11:33:12ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01961224210.3847/1538-4357/ad0c55Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption EventsA. C. S Readhead0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9152-961XV. Ravi1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7252-5485R. D. Blandford2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1854-5506A. G. Sullivan3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9545-7286J. Somalwar4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8426-5732M. C. Begelman5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0936-8488M. Birkinshaw6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1858-277XI. Liodakis7M. L. Lister8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1315-3412T. J. Pearson9https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5213-6231G. B. Taylor10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6495-7731P. N. Wilkinson11N. Globus12S. Kiehlmann13https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6314-9177C. R. Lawrence14D. Murphy15S. O’Neill16V. Pavlidou17E. Sheldahl18A. Siemiginowska19https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0905-7375K. Tassis20https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8831-2038Owens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; acr@caltech.eduOwens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; acr@caltech.eduKavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 94305, USAKavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 94305, USAOwens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; acr@caltech.eduJILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology , 440 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0440, USA; Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder , 391 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0391, USASchool of Physics, H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, UKFinnish Center for Astronomy with ESO, University of Turku , Vesilinnantie 5, FI-20014, FinlandDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University , 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USAOwens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; acr@caltech.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM 87131, USAJodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester , Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UKDepartment of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California , Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAInstitute of Astrophysics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas , GR-70013 Heraklion, GreeceJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAOwens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA 91125, USA ; acr@caltech.eduInstitute of Astrophysics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas , GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece; Department of Physics and Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Crete , 70013 Heraklion, GreeceDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM 87131, USACenter for Astrophysics—Harvard and Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAInstitute of Astrophysics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas , GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece; Department of Physics and Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Crete , 70013 Heraklion, GreeceWe use a sample of 54 compact symmetric objects (CSOs) to confirm that there are two unrelated CSO classes: an edge-dimmed, low-luminosity class (CSO 1), and an edge-brightened, high-luminosity class (CSO 2). Using blind tests, we show that CSO 2s consist of three subclasses: CSO 2.0, having prominent hot spots at the leading edges of narrow jets and/or narrow lobes; CSO 2.2, without prominent hot spots and with broad jets and/or lobes; and CSO 2.1, which exhibit mixed properties. Most CSO 2s do not evolve into larger jetted active galactic nuclei (AGN), but spend their whole life cycle as CSOs of size ≲500 pc and age ≲5000 yr. The minimum energies needed to produce the radio luminosity and structure in CSO 2s range from ∼10 ^−4 M _⊙ c ^2 to ∼7 M _⊙ c ^2 . We show that the transient nature of most CSO 2s, and their birth rate, can be explained through ignition in the tidal disruption events of stars. We also consider possibilities of tapping the spin energy of the supermassive black hole, and tapping the energy of the accretion disk. Our results demonstrate that CSOs constitute a large family of AGN in which we have thus far studied only the brightest. More comprehensive CSO studies, with higher sensitivity, resolution, and dynamic range, will revolutionize our understanding of AGN and the central engines that power them.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad0c55Active galactic nucleiActive galaxiesRelativistic jetsTidal disruption |
| spellingShingle | A. C. S Readhead V. Ravi R. D. Blandford A. G. Sullivan J. Somalwar M. C. Begelman M. Birkinshaw I. Liodakis M. L. Lister T. J. Pearson G. B. Taylor P. N. Wilkinson N. Globus S. Kiehlmann C. R. Lawrence D. Murphy S. O’Neill V. Pavlidou E. Sheldahl A. Siemiginowska K. Tassis Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events The Astrophysical Journal Active galactic nuclei Active galaxies Relativistic jets Tidal disruption |
| title | Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events |
| title_full | Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events |
| title_fullStr | Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events |
| title_full_unstemmed | Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events |
| title_short | Compact Symmetric Objects. III. Evolution of the High-luminosity Branch and a Possible Connection with Tidal Disruption Events |
| title_sort | compact symmetric objects iii evolution of the high luminosity branch and a possible connection with tidal disruption events |
| topic | Active galactic nuclei Active galaxies Relativistic jets Tidal disruption |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad0c55 |
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