The X-ray Jets of Active Galaxies

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in understanding active galaxy jets through X-ray observations, addressing key questions about jet composition, dynamics, and their role in galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It synthesizes findings from Chandra and XMM-Newton observations to clarify jet physics and their impact on galaxy and black hole growth.

Findings

Jets often in a minimum energy state

Large-scale jets exhibit fast spinal speeds

X-ray emission reveals jet-environment interactions

Abstract

Jet physics is again flourishing as a result of Chandra's ability to resolve high-energy emission from the radio-emitting structures of active galaxies and separate it from the X-ray-emitting thermal environments of the jets. These enhanced capabilities have coincided with an increasing interest in the link between the growth of super-massive black holes and galaxies, and an appreciation of the likely importance of jets in feedback processes. I review the progress that has been made using Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of jets and the medium in which they propagate, addressing several important questions, including: Are the radio structures in a state of minimum energy? Do powerful large-scale jets have fast spinal speeds? What keeps jets collimated? Where and how does particle acceleration occur? What is jet plasma made of? What does X-ray emission tell us about the dynamics and energetics of radio plasma/gas interactions? Is a jet's fate determined by the central engine?