A kpc-scale X-ray jet in the BL Lac source S5 2007+777

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a fourth kpc-scale X-ray jet in the BL Lac source S5 2007+777, revealing similarities with FRII jets and providing insights into jet emission mechanisms and AGN unification models.

Contribution

The study presents the first evidence of a kpc-scale X-ray jet in a HYMOR BL Lac, expanding understanding of jet properties and emission processes in such hybrid morphology sources.

Findings

X-ray jet length is 19 arcseconds, matching radio observations.

X-ray spectrum is very hard with photon index ~1.

X-ray emission can be explained by IC/CMB with strong beaming or synchrotron from high-energy electrons.

Abstract

X-ray jets in AGN are commonly observed in FRII and FRI radio-galaxies, but rarely in BL Lacs, most probably due to their orientation close to the line of sight and the ensuing foreshortening effects. Only three BL Lacs are known so far to contain a kpc-scale X-ray jet. In this paper, we present the evidence for the existence of a fourth extended X-ray jet in the classical radio-selected source S5 2007+777, which for its hybrid FRI/II radio morphology has been classified as a HYMOR (HYbrid MOrphology Radio source). Our Chandra ACIS-S observations of this source revealed an X-ray counterpart to the 19"-long radio jet. Interestingly, the X-ray properties of the kpc-scale jet in S5 2007+777 are very similar to those observed in FRII jets. First, the X-ray morphology closely mirrors the radio one, with the X-rays being concentrated in the discrete radio knots. Second, the X-ray continuum of the jet/brightest knot is described by a very hard power law, with photon index Gamma_x~1, although the uncertainties are large. Third, the optical upper limit from archival HST data implies a concave radio-to-X-ray SED. If the X-ray emission is attributed to IC/CMB with equipartition, strong beaming (delta=13) is required, implying a very large scale (Mpc) jet. The beaming requirement can be somewhat relaxed assuming a magnetic field lower than equipartition. Alternatively, synchrotron emission from a second population of very high-energy electrons is viable. Comparison to other HYMOR jets detected with Chandra is discussed, as well as general implications for the origin of the FRI/II division.