Multiwavelength imaging of kpc-scale jets in AGN with Chandra and HST

Abstract

I highlight recent developments from Chandra and HST observations of kpc-scale jets in AGN, with particular emphasis on our survey of 17 radio jets in a sample of FR II radio galaxies. These observations show that: (1) X-ray and optical emission is common from kpc-scale jets, (2) a large fraction of the bolometric luminosity is emitted at X-rays, and (3) in most sources, a candidate emission process for the X-rays is inverse Compton scattering of the Cosmic Microwave Background off the relativistic electrons in the jet. If the latter scenario holds, the implication is that jets are still relativistic on kpc scales.