On relativistic jet/counterjet asymmetry in the presence of radiating jet boundary layer

Abstract

We consider radiation of relativistic electrons accelerated within the jet extended boundary layer. Due to velocity shear across the boundary the observed jet/counterjet brightness ratio is diminished as compared to the one derived for the jet spine. Thus the jet Lorentz factor evaluated from the observed jet asymmetry can be an underestimated value influenced by observation of the slower boundary layer. We briefly discuss several consequences of the radiating boundary layer model in the context of recent Chandra and XMM observations of the large scale jets.

2 pages, 1 figure included. Proceedings of the Workshop `X-ray spectroscopy of AGN with Chandra and XMM-Newton', Garching, Dec.2001