12 research outputs found
On the nonthermal X-ray emission in blazar jets
We consider particle acceleration to high energy via diffusive shock
acceleration in a simple, self-consistent shock in jet model for blazars.
Electrons are assumed to be accelerated at a shock front in relativistic jets
and radiate synchrotron emission in a post-shock region. The full time, space
and momentum dependence of the electron distribution function is used for a
calculation of the nonthermal synchrotron spectra. We discuss the evolution of
the spectral index by varying the rate at which particles enter the
acceleration process. The results indicate that the synchrotron spectral index
displays a characteristic looplike behaviour with intensity (as has been
observed in several blazars), where the orientation of the loop depends on
whether the acceleration time scale is comparable to the synchrotron cooling
time scale or not. We show that our model provides a good fit to the observed
evolution of the spectral index of Mkn 421 during a flare in 1994.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, conference proceedin