Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness

D. M. Worrall; M. Birkinshaw; R. P. Kraft; G. R. Sivakoff; A. Jordán; M. J. Hardcastle; N. J. Brassington; J. H. Croston; D. A. Evans; W. R. Forman; W. E. Harris; C. Jones; A. M. Juett; S. S. Murray; P. E.J. Nulsen; S. Raychaudhury; C. L. Sarazin; K. A. Woodley

doi:10.1086/528681

Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness

D. M. Worrall, M. Birkinshaw, R. P. Kraft, G. R. Sivakoff, A. Jordán, M. J. Hardcastle, N. J. Brassington, J. H. Croston, D. A. Evans, W. R. Forman, W. E. Harris, C. Jones, A. M. Juett, S. S. Murray, P. E.J. Nulsen, S. Raychaudhury, C. L. Sarazin, K. A. Woodley

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32 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L135-L138
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	673
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/528681
State	Published - 2008
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Galaxies: active
Galaxies: individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128)
Galaxies: jets
X-rays: galaxies

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Worrall, D. M., Birkinshaw, M., Kraft, R. P., Sivakoff, G. R., Jordán, A., Hardcastle, M. J., Brassington, N. J., Croston, J. H., Evans, D. A., Forman, W. R., Harris, W. E., Jones, C., Juett, A. M., Murray, S. S., Nulsen, P. E. J., Raychaudhury, S., Sarazin, C. L., & Woodley, K. A. (2008). Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness. Astrophysical Journal, 673(2 PART 2), L135-L138. https://doi.org/10.1086/528681

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title = "Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness",

abstract = "We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.",

keywords = "Galaxies: active, Galaxies: individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128), Galaxies: jets, X-rays: galaxies",

author = "Worrall, {D. M.} and M. Birkinshaw and Kraft, {R. P.} and Sivakoff, {G. R.} and A. Jord{\'a}n and Hardcastle, {M. J.} and Brassington, {N. J.} and Croston, {J. H.} and Evans, {D. A.} and Forman, {W. R.} and Harris, {W. E.} and C. Jones and Juett, {A. M.} and Murray, {S. S.} and Nulsen, {P. E.J.} and S. Raychaudhury and Sarazin, {C. L.} and Woodley, {K. A.}",

year = "2008",

doi = "10.1086/528681",

language = "English",

volume = "673",

pages = "L135--L138",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "2 PART 2",

}

Worrall, DM, Birkinshaw, M, Kraft, RP, Sivakoff, GR, Jordán, A, Hardcastle, MJ, Brassington, NJ, Croston, JH, Evans, DA, Forman, WR, Harris, WE, Jones, C, Juett, AM, Murray, SS, Nulsen, PEJ, Raychaudhury, S, Sarazin, CL & Woodley, KA 2008, 'Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 673, no. 2 PART 2, pp. L135-L138. https://doi.org/10.1086/528681

TY - JOUR

T1 - Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness

AU - Worrall, D. M.

AU - Birkinshaw, M.

AU - Kraft, R. P.

AU - Sivakoff, G. R.

AU - Jordán, A.

AU - Hardcastle, M. J.

AU - Brassington, N. J.

AU - Croston, J. H.

AU - Evans, D. A.

AU - Forman, W. R.

AU - Harris, W. E.

AU - Jones, C.

AU - Juett, A. M.

AU - Murray, S. S.

AU - Nulsen, P. E.J.

AU - Raychaudhury, S.

AU - Sarazin, C. L.

AU - Woodley, K. A.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.

AB - We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of transverse motion of knots within the flow.

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128)

KW - Galaxies: jets

KW - X-rays: galaxies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=53549107373&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/528681

DO - 10.1086/528681

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:53549107373

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 673

SP - L135-L138

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 PART 2

ER -

Where Centaurus a gets its x-ray knottiness

Abstract

Keywords

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