M87 and the Dynamics and Microphysics inside the Blazar Zone

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent theoretical, numerical, and observational advances in understanding the dynamics, particle acceleration, and microphysics within the blazar zone of AGN, focusing on M87.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent progress in modeling and observations of the blazar zone, highlighting new insights into microphysical processes and their observational signatures.

Findings

Microphysical processes are crucial for high-energy emission.

Recent TeV and radio observations provide constraints on models.

Numerical simulations improve understanding of jet dynamics.

Abstract

The blazars provide a considerable opportunity to peer into the workings within a few tens of parsecs of the central engine in AGN. This considerable opportunity involves significant challenges as different macroscopic dynamical processes and microscopic physical processes operating at different locations can be responsible for the observed emission. In this proceedings article I review recent theoretical and numerical results relevant to dynamics inside the blazar zone, review the particle acceleration processes capable of producing the high energy particles required by the observed emission, discuss some of the progress made at the microphysical level, and consider what recent TeV and radio observations of M87 can tell us about the blazar zone.