Steady axisymmetric outflows originating at the hot coronal magnetosphere of a Schwarzschild black hole and surrounding accretion disk are studied in the framework of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD). The assumption of meridional self-similarity is adopted for the construction of semi-analytical solutions of the GRMHD equations describing outflows close to the polar axis. In addition, it is assumed that relativistic effects related to the rotation of the black hole and the plasma are negligible compared to the gravitational and other energetic terms. The constructed model allows us to extend previous MHD studies for coronal winds from young stars to spine jets from Active Galactic Nuclei surrounded by disk-driven outflows. The outflows are thermally driven and magnetically or thermally collimated. The collimation depends critically on an energetic integral measuring the efficiency of the magnetic rotator, similarly to the non relativistic case. It is also shown that relativistic effects affect quantitatively the depth of the gravitational well and the coronal temperature distribution in the launching region of the outflow. Similarly to previous analytical and numerical studies, relativistic effects tend to increase the efficiency of the thermal driving but reduce the effect of magnetic self-collimation.

Z. Meliani C. Sauty N. Vlahakis K. Tsinganos E. Trussoni

Theoretical arguments along with observational data of YSO jets suggest the presence of two steady components: a disk wind type outflow needed to explain the observed high mass loss rates and a stellar wind type outflow probably accounting for the observed stellar spin down. Each component's contribution depends on the intrinsic physical properties of the YSO-disk system and its evolutionary stage. The main goal of this paper is to understand some of the basic features of the evolution, interaction and co-existence of the two jet components over a parameter space and when time variability is enforced. Having studied separately the numerical evolution of each type of the complementary disk and stellar analytical wind solutions in Paper I of this series, we proceed here to mix together the two models inside the computational box. The evolution in time is performed with the PLUTO code, investigating the dynamics of the two-component jets, the modifications each solution undergoes and the potential steady state reached.

T. Matsakos S. Massaglia E. Trussoni K. Tsinganos N. Vlahakis C. Sauty A. Mignone

Recent observations as well as theoretical studies of YSO jets suggest the presence of two steady components: a disk wind type outflow needed to explain the observed high mass loss rates and a stellar wind type outflow probably accounting for the observed stellar spin down. In this framework, we construct numerical two-component jet models by properly mixing an analytical disk wind solution with a complementary analytically derived stellar outflow. Their combination is controlled by both spatial and temporal parameters, in order to address different physical conditions and time variable features. We study the temporal evolution and the interaction of the two jet components on both small and large scales. The simulations reach steady state configurations close to the initial solutions. Although time variability is not found to considerably affect the dynamics, flow fluctuations generate condensations, whose large scale structures have a strong resemblance to observed YSO jet knots.

T. Matsakos S. Massaglia E. Trussoni K. Tsinganos N. Vlahakis C. Sauty A. Mignone

We report X-ray observations of the radio galaxies B2 1615+35 (NGC 6109) and B2 1621+38 (NGC 6137), which belong to poor groups of galaxies and are characterized by a "head-tail" structure. We also analyze the X-ray behaviour of the radio galaxy NGC 6107, present within the field of view and showing a symmetric extended radio structure. The X-ray emission from the group of 1615+35 is complex, including both emission from a hot intergroup gas, and emission from the individual radio galaxies (1615+35 itself, which is pointlike, and NGC 6107, which is extended). In the case of 1621+38, only extended X-ray emission from the galaxy itself is detected. The extended X-ray emission of the galaxies 1621+38 and NGC 6107 is probably related to a gaseous galactic atmosphere. The pointlike emission of the radio galaxy 1615+35, instead, is likely to originate in the nucleus. We discuss the confinement of radio components by the ambient gas, and find that the external thermal pressure exceeds the internal equipartition pressure. The X-ray emitting plasma in the 1615+35 group is characterized by luminosity, temperature and metallitcity typical for groups, i.e. lower than for rich clusters.

L. Feretti R. Fanti P. Parma S. Massaglia E. Trussoni W. Brinkmann

An axisymmetric MHD model is examined analytically to illustrate some key aspects of the physics of hot and magnetized outflows which originate in the near environment of a central gravitating body. By analyzing the asymptotical behaviour of the outflows it is found that they attain a variety of shapes such as conical, paraboloidal or cylindrical. However, non cylindrical asymptotics can be achieved only when the magnetic pinching is negligible and the outflow is overpressured on its symmetry axis. In cylindrical jet-type asymptotics, the outflowing plasma reaches an equilibrium wherein it is confined by magnetic forces or gas pressure gradients, while it is supported by centrifugal forces or gas pressure gradients. In which of the two regimes (with thermal or magnetic confinement) a jet can be found depends on the efficiency of the central magnetic rotator. The radius and terminal speed of the jet are analytically given in terms of the variation across the poloidal streamlines of the total energy. Large radius of the jet and efficient acceleration are best obtained when the external confinement is provided with comparable contributions by magnetic pinching and thermal pressure. In most cases, collimated streamlines undergo oscillations with various wavelengths, as also found by other analytical models. Scenarios for the evolution of outflows into winds and jets in the different confinement regimes are shortly outlined.

C. Sauty K. Tsinganos E. Trussoni

An exact model for magnetized and rotating outflows, underpressured at their axis, is analysed by means of a nonlinear separation of the variables in the two-dimensional governing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations for axisymmetric plasmas. The outflow starts subsonically and subAlfv\'enically from the central gravitating source and its surrounding accretion disk and after crossing the MHD critical points, high values of the Alfv\'en Mach number may be reached. Three broad types of solutions are found: (a) collimated jet-type outflows from efficient magnetic rotators where the outflow is confined by the magnetic hoop stress; (b) collimated outflows from inefficient magnetic rotators where the outflow is cylindrically confined by thermal pressure gradients; and (c) radially expanding wind-type outflows analogous to the solar wind. In most of the cases examined cylindrically collimated (jet-type) outflows are naturally emerging with thermal and magnetic effects competing in the acceleration and the confinement of the jet. The interplay of all MHD volumetric forces in accelerating and confining the jet is displayed along all its length and for several parameters. The solutions may be used for a physical understanding of astrophysical outflows, such as those associated with young stellar objects, planetary nebulae, extragalactic jets, etc.

C. Sauty E. Trussoni K. Tsinganos

We collect multi-wavelength measurements of the nuclear emission of 20 low luminosity FR I radio-galaxies to test the viability of the FR I - BL Lac unifying model. Although poorly sampled, the Spectral Energy Distributions (SED) of FR Is are consistent with the double peaked shape characteristic of BL Lacs. Furthermore while the distribution of the FR Is in the broad-band spectral index planes shows essentially no overlap with the regions where HBL and LBL are located, this can be simply due to the effects of relativistic beaming. More quantitatively, deriving the beaming Doppler factor of a given radio-galaxy from its X-ray luminosity ratio with respect to BL Lacs with similar extended radio luminosity, we find that i) the luminosity in all bands, ii) the value of the spectral indices, iii) the slope of the X-ray spectrum, iv) the overall SED shape, may be all simultaneously reproduced. However, the corresponding jet bulk Lorentz factors are significantly smaller than those derived for BL Lacs from other observational and theoretical considerations. This suggests to consider a simple variant of the unification scheme that allows for the presence of a velocity structure in the jet.

E. Trussoni A. Capetti A. Celotti M. Chiaberge L. Feretti

Observations of collimated outflows in young stellar objects indicate that several features of the jets can be understood by adopting the picture of a two-component outflow, wherein a central stellar component around the jet axis is surrounded by an extended disk-wind. The precise contribution of each component may depend on the intrinsic physical properties of the YSO-disk system as well as its evolutionary stage. In this context, the present article starts a systematic investigation of two-component jet models via time-dependent simulations of two prototypical and complementary analytical solutions, each closely related to the properties of stellar-outflows and disk-winds. These models describe a meridionally and a radially self-similar exact solution of the steady-state, ideal hydromagnetic equations, respectively. By using the PLUTO code to carry out the simulations, the study focuses on the topological stability of each of the two analytical solutions, which are successfully extended to all space by removing their singularities. In addition, their behavior and robustness over several physical and numerical modifications is extensively examined. It is found that radially self-similar solutions (disk-winds) always reach a final steady-state while maintaining all their well-defined properties. The different ways to replace the singular part of the solution around the symmetry axis, being a first approximation towards a two-component outflow, lead to the appearance of a shock at the super-fast domain corresponding to the fast magnetosonic separatrix surface. Conversely, the asymptotic configuration and the stability of meridionally self-similar models (stellar-winds) is related to the heating processes at the base of the wind.

T. Matsakos K. Tsinganos N. Vlahakis S. Massaglia A. Mignone E. Trussoni

The two types of Fanaroff-Riley radio loud galaxies, FRI and FRII, exhibit strong jets but with different properties. These differences may be associated to the central engine and/or the external medium. Aims: The AGN classification FRI and FRII can be linked to the rate of electromagnetic Poynting flux extraction from the inner corona of the central engine by the jet. The collimation results from the distribution of the total electromagnetic energy across the jet, as compared to the corresponding distribution of the thermal and gravitational energies. We use exact solutions of the fully relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (GRMHD) equations obtained by a nonlinear separation of the variables to study outflows from a Schwarzschild black hole corona. A strong correlation is found between the jet features and the energetic distribution of the plasma of the inner corona which may be related to the efficiency of the magnetic rotator. It is shown that observations of FRI and FRII jets may be partially constrained by our model for spine jets. The deceleration observed in FRI jets may be associated with a low magnetic efficiency of the central magnetic rotator and an important thermal confinement by the hot surrounding medium. Conversely, the strongly collimated and accelerated FRII outflows may be self collimated by their own magnetic field because of the high efficiency of the central magnetic rotator.

Z. Meliani C. Sauty K. Tsinganos E. Trussoni V. Cayatte

It is a well established fact that some YSO jets (e.g. RW Aur) display different propagation speeds between their blue and red shifted parts, a feature possibly associated with the central engine or the environment in which the jet propagates. In order to understand the origin of asymmetric YSO jet velocities, we investigate the efficiency of two candidate mechanisms, one based on the intrinsic properties of the system and one based on the role of the external medium. In particular, a parallel or anti-parallel configuration between the protostellar magnetosphere and the disk magnetic field is considered and the resulting dynamics are examined both in an ideal and a resistive magneto-hydrodynamical (MHD) regime. Moreover, we explore the effects of a potential difference in the pressure of the environment, as a consequence of the non-uniform density distribution of molecular clouds. Ideal and resistive axisymmetric numerical simulations are carried out for a variety of models, all of which are based on a combination of two analytical solutions, a disk wind and a stellar outflow. We find that jet velocity asymmetries can indeed occur both when multipolar magnetic moments are present in the star-disk system as well as when non-uniform environments are considered. The latter case is an external mechanism that can easily explain the large time scale of the phenomenon, whereas the former one naturally relates it to the YSO intrinsic properties. [abridged]

T. Matsakos N. Vlahakis K. Tsinganos K. Karampelas C. Sauty V. Cayatte S. P. Matt S. Massaglia E. Trussoni A. Mignone