Gamma-ray emission from early-type stars interacting with AGN jets

TL;DR

This paper investigates how early-type stars interacting with AGN jets produce gamma-ray emission through shock-accelerated particles, potentially revealing properties of galactic nuclei and jets.

Contribution

It introduces a model for gamma-ray production from star-jet interactions, highlighting its significance for nearby non-blazar AGN observations.

Findings

Relativistic electrons produce detectable non-thermal radiation from radio to gamma-rays.

Star-jet interactions can significantly contribute to the gamma-ray emission in AGN.

Detection of this emission can inform about stellar populations and jet properties.

Abstract

We study the interaction of early-type stars with the jets of active galactic nuclei. A bow-shock will form as a consequence of the interaction of the jet with the winds of stars and particles can be accelerated up to relativistic energies in these shocks. We compute the non-thermal radiation produced by relativistic electrons from radio to gamma-rays. This radiation may be significant, and its detection might yield information on the properties of the stellar population in the galaxy nucleus, as well as on the relativistic jet. This emission is expected to be relevant for nearby non-blazar sources.