To investigate the formation mechanism of relativistic jets in active
galactic nuclei and micro-quasars, we have developed a new general relativistic
magnetohydrodynamic code in Kerr geometry. Here we report on the first
numerical simulation of jet formation in a rapidly-rotating (a=0.95) Kerr black
hole magnetosphere. We study cases in which the Keplerian accretion disk is
both co-rotating and counter-rotating with respect to the black hole rotation.
In the co-rotating disk case, our results are almost the same as those in
Schwarzschild black hole cases: a gas pressure-driven jet is formed by a shock
in the disk, and a weaker magnetically-driven jet is also generated outside the
gas pressure-driven jet. On the other hand, in the counter-rotating disk case,
a new powerful magnetically-driven jet is formed inside the gas pressure-driven
jet. The newly found magnetically-driven jet in the latter case is accelerated
by a strong magnetic field created by frame dragging in the ergosphere. Through
this process, the magnetic field extracts the energy of the black hole
rotation.Comment: Co-rotating and counter-rotating disks; 8 pages; submitted to ApJ
letter