Large Scale Extragalactic Jets in the Chandra era I: data reduction and analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray and radio data from 106 extragalactic jets observed by Chandra, aiming to understand their emission properties and differences across source classes through uniform data reduction and statistical analysis.

Contribution

It provides a uniform reduction and analysis of Chandra X-ray data for a large sample of extragalactic jets, establishing a basis for comparing emission properties across different source types.

Findings

Measured X-ray fluxes in three bands for 106 sources

Compared X-ray and radio flux ratios for jet features

Performed statistical tests to identify differences between source classes

Abstract

In this paper we report the first stages of an investigation into the X-ray properties of extragalactic jets. Our approach is to subject all sources for which X-ray emission has been detected by Chandra to uniform reduction procedures. Using Chandra archival data for 106 such sources, we measure X-ray fluxes in three bands and compare these to radio fluxes. We discuss the sample, the reduction methods, and present first results for the ratio of X-ray to radio flux for jet knots and hotspots. In particular, we apply statistical tests to various distributions of key observational parameters to evaluate differences between the different classes of sources. Subsequent papers will deal with various ramifications such as considerations of how well the observational data fulfill expectations of the different radiation processes proposed for the knots of FRI radio galaxies and quasars.