Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies
Jet precession is sometimes invoked to explain asymmetries in radio galaxy (RG) jets and “X/S/Z-shaped” RGs, caused by the presence of a binary black hole companion to the source active galactic nucleus or by accretion instabilities. We present a series of simulations of RG jet precession to examine...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc652 |
| _version_ | 1797695296882343936 |
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| author | Chris Nolting Jay Ball Tri M. Nguyen |
| author_facet | Chris Nolting Jay Ball Tri M. Nguyen |
| author_sort | Chris Nolting |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Jet precession is sometimes invoked to explain asymmetries in radio galaxy (RG) jets and “X/S/Z-shaped” RGs, caused by the presence of a binary black hole companion to the source active galactic nucleus or by accretion instabilities. We present a series of simulations of RG jet precession to examine how these sources would evolve over time, including a passive distribution of cosmic-ray electrons so we can model radio synchrotron emissions and create synthetic radio maps of the sources. We find that a single source viewed from different angles can result in differing RG morphological classifications, confusing physical implications of these classifications. Additionally, the jet trajectories can become unstable due to their own self-interactions and lead to “reorientation events” that may look like the effects of external dynamics such as shocks, winds, or cold fronts in the medium. Finally, something akin to an “Odd Radio Circle” may be observed in the case of viewing the radio remnant of such a precessing source from a line of sight near the precession axis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:10:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f56021f9ee94cf58637d7ca53d436e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:10:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f56021f9ee94cf58637d7ca53d436e52023-09-03T14:28:36ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572023-01-0194812510.3847/1538-4357/acc652Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio GalaxiesChris Nolting0Jay Ball1Tri M. Nguyen2Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos, NM, USA ; nolting@lanl.gov; Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston , Charleston, SC, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston , Charleston, SC, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston , Charleston, SC, USAJet precession is sometimes invoked to explain asymmetries in radio galaxy (RG) jets and “X/S/Z-shaped” RGs, caused by the presence of a binary black hole companion to the source active galactic nucleus or by accretion instabilities. We present a series of simulations of RG jet precession to examine how these sources would evolve over time, including a passive distribution of cosmic-ray electrons so we can model radio synchrotron emissions and create synthetic radio maps of the sources. We find that a single source viewed from different angles can result in differing RG morphological classifications, confusing physical implications of these classifications. Additionally, the jet trajectories can become unstable due to their own self-interactions and lead to “reorientation events” that may look like the effects of external dynamics such as shocks, winds, or cold fronts in the medium. Finally, something akin to an “Odd Radio Circle” may be observed in the case of viewing the radio remnant of such a precessing source from a line of sight near the precession axis.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc652Astronomical simulationsMagnetohydrodynamical simulationsGalaxy jetsJetsRadio jetsRadio galaxies |
| spellingShingle | Chris Nolting Jay Ball Tri M. Nguyen Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies The Astrophysical Journal Astronomical simulations Magnetohydrodynamical simulations Galaxy jets Jets Radio jets Radio galaxies |
| title | Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies |
| title_full | Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies |
| title_fullStr | Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies |
| title_short | Simulations of Precessing Jets and the Formation of X-shaped Radio Galaxies |
| title_sort | simulations of precessing jets and the formation of x shaped radio galaxies |
| topic | Astronomical simulations Magnetohydrodynamical simulations Galaxy jets Jets Radio jets Radio galaxies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc652 |
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