Emission from Large-Scale Jets in Quasars

Abstract

We consider the emission processes in the large-scale jets of powerful quasars based on the results obtained with the VLA, Spitzer, Hubble, and Chandra. We show that two archetypal jets, 3C 273 and PKS 1136-135, have two distinct spectral components on large-scales: (1) the low-energy (LE) synchrotron spectrum extending from radio to infrared, and (2) the high-energy (HE) component arising from optical and extending to X-rays. The X-ray emission in quasar jets is often attributed to inverse-Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons by radio-emitting electrons in a highly relativistic jet. However, recent data prefer synchrotron radiation by a second distinct electron population as the origin of the HE component. We anticipate that optical polarimetry with Hubble will establish the synchrotron nature of the HE component. Gamma-ray observations with GLAST (renamed as the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope), as well as future TeV observations, are expected to place important constraints on the jet models.