Numerical study of broadband spectra caused by internal shocks in magnetized relativistic jets of blazars

The internal-shocks scenario in relativistic jets has been used to explain the variability of blazars' outflow emission. Recent simulations have shown that the magnetic field alters the dynamics of these shocks producing a whole zoo of spectral energy density patterns. However, the role played by magnetization in such high-energy emission is still not entirely understood. With the aid of \emph{Fermi}'s second LAT AGN catalog, a comparison with observations in the $\gamma$-ray band was performed, in order to identify the effects of the magnetic field.Comment: Proceedings of the meeting The Innermost Regions of Relativistic Jets and Their Magnetic Fields, June 10-14, 2013, Granada (Spain), 4 pages, 3 figure

Relativistic Outflows in Gamma-Ray Bursts

The possibility that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) were not isotropic emissions was devised theoretically as a way to ameliorate the huge energetic budget implied by the standard fireball model for these powerful phenomena. However, the mechanism by which after the quasy-isotropic release of a few $10^{50}$erg yields a collimated ejection of plasma could not be satisfactory explained analytically. The reason being that the collimation of an outflow by its progenitor system depends on a very complex and non-linear dynamics. That has made necessary the use of numerical simulations in order to shed some light on the viability of some likely progenitors of GRBs. In this contribution I will review the most relevant features shown by these numerical simulations and how they have been used to validate the collapsar model (for long GRBs) and the model involving the merger of compact binaries (for short GRBs).Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Proceedings of the conference: "Circumstellar Media and Late Stages of Massive Stellar Evolution". Ensenada (Mexico). To be published by Revista Mexicana de Astronomia y Astrofisic

Efficiency of internal shocks in magnetized relativistic jets

We study the dynamic and radiative efficiency of conversion of kinetic-to-thermal/magnetic energy by internal shocks in relativistic magnetized outflows. A parameter study of a large number of collisions of cylindrical shells is performed. We explore how, while keeping the total flow luminosity constant, the variable fluid magnetization influences the efficiency and find that the interaction of shells in a mildly magnetized jet yields higher dynamic, but lower radiative efficiency than in a non-magnetized flow. A multi-wavelength radiative signature of different shell magnetization is computed assuming that relativistic particles are accelerated at internal shocks.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of the meeting "HEPRO III: High Energy Phenomena in Relativistic Outflows" (Barcelona, June 2011), fixed the bibliography error

A powerful hydrodynamic booster for relativistic jets

Velocities close to the speed of light are a robust observational property of the jets observed in microquasars and AGNs, and are expected to be behind much of the phenomenology of GRBs. Yet, the mechanism boosting relativistic jets to such large Lorentz factors is still essentially unknown. Building on recent general-relativistic, multidimensional simulations of progenitors of short GRBs, we discuss a new effect in relativistic hydrodynamics which can act as an efficient booster in jets. This effect is purely hydrodynamical and occurs when large velocities tangential to a discontinuity are present in the flow, yielding Lorentz factors $\Gamma \sim 10^2-10^3$ or larger in flows with moderate initial Lorentz factors. Although without a Newtonian counterpart, this effect can be explained easily through the most elementary hydrodynamical flow: i.e., a relativistic Riemann problem.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures (1 in color). ApJ Letters accepte

Numerical simulations of the internal shock model in magnetized relativistic jets of blazars

The internal shocks scenario in relativistic jets is used to explain the variability of the blazar emission. Recent studies have shown that the magnetic field significantly alters the shell collision dynamics, producing a variety of spectral energy distributions and light-curves patterns. However, the role played by magnetization in such emission processes is still not entirely understood. In this work we numerically solve the magnetohydodynamic evolution of the magnetized shells collision, and determine the influence of the magnetization on the observed radiation. Our procedure consists in systematically varying the shell Lorentz factor, relative velocity, and viewing angle. The calculations needed to produce the whole broadband spectral energy distributions and light-curves are computationally expensive, and are achieved using a high-performance parallel code.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, proceeding of the "Swift: 10 Years of Discovery" conference (December 2014, Rome, Italy