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The revived Penrose process can power the central engine in active galactic nuclei
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 July 2016
Abstract
Using the fact that the efficiency of the revived (Wagh et al 1985) Penrose process of energy extraction from black holes immersed in electromagnetic fields can be very high (Parthasarathy et al, 1986) we show that this process can comfortably power the ‘central engine’ in Active Galactic Nuclei. The microphysical Penrose process energized particles will be ultrarelativistic in the asymptotic frame. Hence the kinematical analysis of escaping photons by Piran and Shaham (1977) will be a good approximation to the kinematics of these particles. From this analysis one expects the energized particles to emerge within an angle∼ 40° above and below the equatorial plane. These energetic particles, which are collimated in the funnel of an accretion disk and further on by the magnetic field, then, form supersonic, relativistic, bilateral jets. The relativistic Y factor for such jets can be expected to be ∼ 2 since these ultrarelativistic particles will effectively mimick radiation in ‘dragging’ the matter already injected inside the funnel. Various implications of high energy extraction efficiency are illustrated.
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- IV. Prime Movers, Models and Mechanisms
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- Copyright © Reidel 1986