Interpreting radiative efficiency in radio-loud AGN

TL;DR

This paper explores how radiative efficiency in radio-loud AGN is primarily determined by the scaled accretion rate onto the black hole, highlighting its correlation with physical differences but noting its limitations in characterizing individual objects.

Contribution

It clarifies the relationship between radiative efficiency and accretion rate in radio-loud AGN, emphasizing the role of scaled accretion rate over accreted matter type.

Findings

Radiative efficiency correlates with scaled accretion rate.

Efficiency is governed more by accretion rate than matter type.

Efficiency does not unambiguously characterize individual AGN.

Abstract

Radiative efficiency in radio-loud AGN is governed by the scaled accretion rate on to the central black hole rather than directly by the type of accreted matter; while it correlates with real physical differences, it does not give us unambiguous information about particular objects.