Dynamical Modelling and Emission Signatures of a Candidate Dual AGN with Precessing Radio Jets

TL;DR

This study models the dynamical and emission properties of a precessing jet in a dual AGN candidate, revealing how jet-ambient interactions shape observed radio structures and spectral features.

Contribution

It provides high-resolution 3D MHD simulations of precessing jets, highlighting the effects of MHD instabilities and deceleration on morphology and emission signatures.

Findings

S-shaped radio morphology with hotspots formed over time

Spectral index maps show steeper edges and flat hotspots

Jets exhibit high linear polarization up to 76%

Abstract

In this paper, we have modelled the dynamical and emission properties (in the presence of radiative losses and diffusive shock acceleration) of an observed S-shaped radio source (2MASX J12032061+131931) due to a precessing jet. In this regard, we have performed high-resolution 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of a precessing jet in a galactic environment. We show the appearance of a distinct S-shape with two bright hotspots when the bow shock region weakens over time. The formed morphology is sensitive to the parameter selections. The increased interaction between the helical jet and the ambient medium and the deceleration of the jet due to MHD instabilities also greatly affect the resulting structure. Hence, kinematic models must be corrected for these deceleration effects in order to adequately predict the precession parameters. The synthetic spectral index map shows that the jet side and leading edges possess relatively steeper spectral index values than the jet ridge lines, whereas the hotspots show flat spectral index values. The jets are also found to be highly linearly polarized (up to 76%) and the magnetic field lines, in general, follow the jet locus which is formed due to the jet-ambient medium interaction. Diffusive shocks, in this context, keep the structure active during its course of evolution. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that these galaxies deviate significantly from the equipartition approximation leading to a discrepancy in their spectral and dynamical age.