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Ion-supported tori and the origin of radio jets

Nature volume 295, pages 17–21 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

While apparently supplying tremendous power to their extended radio-emitting regions, the nuclei of most radio galaxies emit little detectable radiation. It is proposed that at the centre of each is a spinning black hole surrounded by a torus of gas too hot and tenuous to radiate efficiently. The torus anchors magnetic fields which extract rotational energy from the hole in the form of two collimated beams of relativistic particles and fields. These in turn drive the observed radio jets and hot spots. A large supply of accreting gas is thus unnecessary and radio galaxies may be interpreted as starved quasars.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK

    M. J. Rees, M. C. Begelman & E. S. Phinney

  2. Theoretical Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA

    R. D. Blandford

  3. Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA

    M. C. Begelman

Authors
  1. M. J. Rees
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  2. M. C. Begelman
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  3. R. D. Blandford
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  4. E. S. Phinney
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Rees, M., Begelman, M., Blandford, R. et al. Ion-supported tori and the origin of radio jets. Nature 295, 17–21 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/295017a0

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