Open AccessOn the spin paradigm and the radio dichotomy of quasars
Author(s) -
Moderski R.,
Sikora M.,
Lasota J.P.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.02009.x
Subject(s) - physics , quasar , astrophysics , spins , accretion (finance) , spin (aerodynamics) , ovv quasar , astronomy , black hole (networking) , x shaped radio galaxy , galaxy , condensed matter physics , computer network , routing protocol , routing (electronic design automation) , computer science , thermodynamics , link state routing protocol
We investigate whether models based on the assumption that jets in quasars are powered by rotating black holes can explain the observed radio dichotomy of quasars. We show that in terms of the ‘spin paradigm’ models, radio‐loud quasars could be objects in which the rotation rate of the black hole corresponds to an equilibrium between spin‐up by accretion and spin‐down by the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. Radio‐quiet quasars could be hosting black holes with an average spin much smaller than the equilibrium one. We discuss possible accretion scenarios which can lead to such a bimodal distribution of black hole spins.