The Point of Origin of the Radio Radiation from the Unresolved Cores of Radio-Loud Quasars

TL;DR

This study investigates the origin of radio core radiation in active galactic nuclei, suggesting most emission in radio-loud quasars like 3C279 comes from a stable region near the black hole, not the jet base.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the majority of core radio emission in radio-loud quasars originates from a stable region near the black hole, challenging previous assumptions about jet base dominance.

Findings

Approximately 85% of 15 GHz core flux in 3C279 comes from a separate, stable region.

The stable emission region likely extends over many Schwarzschild radii.

Most core radiation does not originate from the jet base, even in radio-loud sources.

Abstract

Locating the exact point of origin of the core radiation in active galactic nuclei (AGN) would represent important progress in our understanding of physical processes in the central engine of these objects. However, due to our inability to resolve the region containing both the central compact object and the jet base, this has so far been difficult. Here, using an analysis in which the lack of resolution does not play a significant role, we demonstrate that it may be impossible even in most radio loud sources for more than a small percentage of the core radiation at radio wavelengths to come from the jet base. We find for 3C279 that $\sim85$ percent of the core flux at 15 GHz must come from a separate, reasonably stable, region that is not part of the jet base, and that then likely radiates at least quasi-isotropically and is centered on the black hole. The long-term stability of this component also suggests that it may originate in a region that extends over many Schwarzschild radii.