Faranoff-Riley type I jet deceleration at density discontinuities "Relativistic hydrodynamics with realistic equation of state"

TL;DR

This paper models how relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei can rapidly decelerate upon encountering density discontinuities, explaining observed asymmetries and transitions from FR II to FR I types using high-resolution simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a new relativistic hydrodynamics simulation approach with a realistic equation of state to study jet deceleration at density jumps, including detailed dynamical analysis.

Findings

Density contrast influences jet propagation and stability.

High density jumps cause significant jet deceleration and knot formation.

Differences observed between cylindrical and conical jet models.

Abstract

The deceleration mechanisms for relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei remain an open question, and in this paper we propose a model which could explain sudden jet deceleration, invoking density discontinuities. This is particularly motivated by recent indications from HYMORS. Exploiting high resolution, numerical simulations, we demonstrate that for both high and low energy jets, always at high Lorentz factor, a transition to a higher density environment can cause a significant fraction of the directed jet energy to be lost on reflection. This can explain how one-sided jet deceleration and a transition to FR I type can occur in HYMORS, which start as FR II (and remain so on the other side). For that purpose, we implemented in the relativistic hydrodynamic grid-adaptive AMRVAC code, the Synge-type equation of state introduced in the general polytropic case by Meliani et al. (2004). We present results for 10 model computations, varying the inlet Lorentz factor from 10 to 20, including uniform or decreasing density profiles, and allowing for cylindrical versus conical jet models. As long as the jet propagates through uniform media, we find that the density contrast sets most of the propagation characteristics, fully consistent with previous modeling efforts. When the jet runs into a denser medium, we find a clear distinction in the decelaration of high energy jets depending on the encountered density jump. For fairly high density contrast, the jet becomes destabilised and compressed, decelerates strongly (up to subrelativistic speeds) and can form knots. We point out differences that are found between cylindrical and conical jet models, together with dynamical details like the Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities developing at the original contact interface.