an international group of astrophysicists has found that high-energy gamma rays quasars are emitted along the entire length of the jets of plasma (jets), which stretch for thousands of light-years. This makes the jets the most giant natural particle accelerators. The results of the study reported in a press release, EurekAlert!.
Gamma rays originate many space objects including quasars, which are galaxies with an active nucleus. The radiation intensity varies over small periods of time, which scientists believed that the immediate source of high-energy radiation is, for example, supermassive black hole, which occupies a relatively small region of space.
In the new study, astronomers observed the radio galaxy Centaurus a in for 200 hours and identified the region emitting gamma-rays extending for several thousand light-years. This indicates that particle acceleration occurs along the entire length of the plasma jets.
the Results indicate that radio galaxies are highly relativistic electron accelerators. These objects make a significant contribution to the redistribution of energy in the intergalactic medium.
