On radiative acceleration in spine-sheath structured blazar jets

TL;DR

This paper investigates the radiative acceleration of the sheath in structured blazar jets, providing self-consistent velocity profiles and highlighting the need for continuous energetic particle injection to match observations.

Contribution

It is the first study to analyze the acceleration of the jet sheath in spine-sheath structured blazar jets considering radiative cooling effects.

Findings

Sheath can be accelerated to observed velocities with energetic leptons.

Continuous injection of energetic particles is necessary for sustained acceleration.

Self-consistent velocity profiles for both spine and sheath are obtained.

Abstract

It has been proposed that blazar jets are structured, with a fast spine surrounded by a slower sheath or layer. This structured jet model explains some properties of their emission and morphology. Because of their relative motion, the radiation produced by one component is seen amplified by the other, thus enhancing the inverse Compton emission of both. Radiation is emitted anisotropically in the comoving frames, and causes the emitting plasma to recoil. As seen in the observer frame, this corresponds to a deceleration of the fastest component (the spine) and an acceleration of the slower one (the layer). While the deceleration of the spine has already been investigated, here we study for the first time the acceleration of the sheath and find self-consistent velocity profile solutions for both the spine and the sheath while accounting for radiative cooling. We find that the sheath can be accelerated to the velocities required by the observations if its leptons remain energetic in the acceleration region, assumed to be of the order of 100 Schwarzschild radii, demanding continuous injection of energetic particles in that region.