Resolving acceleration to very high energies along the jet of Centaurus A

H. Abdalla; R. Adam; F. Aharonian; F. Ait Benkhali; E.O. Angüner; M. Arakawa; C. Arcaro; C. Armand; H. Ashkar; M. Backes; V. Barbosa Martins; M. Barnard; Y. Becherini; D. Berge; K. Bernlöhr; R. Blackwell; M. Böttcher; C. Boisson; J. Bolmont; S. Bonnefoy; Johan Bregeon; M. Breuhaus; F. Brun; P. Brun; M. Bryan; M. Büchele; T. Bulik; T. Bylund; M. Capasso; S. Caroff; A. Carosi; S. Casanova; M. Cerruti; T. Chand; S. Chandra; A. Chen; S. Colafrancesco; M. Curyło; I.D. Davids; C. Deil; J. Devin; P. Dewilt; L. Dirson; A. Djannati-Ataï; A. Dmytriiev; A. Donath; V. Doroshenko; L.O'C. Drury; J. Dyks; K. Egberts; G. Emery; J.-P. Ernenwein; S. Eschbach; K. Feijen; S. Fegan; A. Fiasson; G. Fontaine; S. Funk; M. Füssling; S. Gabici; Y.A. Gallant; F. Gaté; G. Giavitto; D. Glawion; J.F. Glicenstein; D. Gottschall; M.-H. Grondin; J. Hahn; M. Haupt; G. Heinzelmann; G. Henri; G. Hermann; J.A. Hinton; W. Hofmann; C. Hoischen; T.L. Holch; M. Holler; D. Horns; D. Huber; H. Iwasaki; M. Jamrozy; D. Jankowsky; F. Jankowsky; A. Jardin-Blicq; I. Jung-Richardt; M.A. Kastendieck; K. Katarzyński; M. Katsuragawa; U. Katz; D. Khangulyan; B. Khélifi; J. King; S. Klepser; W. Kluźniak; N. Komin; K. Kosack; D. Kostunin; M. Kraus; G. Lamanna; J. Lau; A. Lemière; M. Lemoine-Goumard; J.-P. Lenain; E. Leser; C. Levy; T. Lohse; I. Lypova; J. Mackey; J. Majumdar; D. Malyshev; V. Marandon; Alexandre Marcowith; A. Mares; C. Mariaud; G. Martí-Devesa; R. Marx; G. Maurin; P.J. Meintjes; A.M.W. Mitchell; R. Moderski; M. Mohamed; L. Mohrmann; C. Moore; E. Moulin; J. Muller; T. Murach; S. Nakashima; M. de Naurois; H. Ndiyavala; F. Niederwanger; J. Niemiec; L. Oakes; P. O'Brien; H. Odaka; S. Ohm; E. de Ona Wilhelmi; M. Ostrowski; I. Oya; M. Panter; R.D. Parsons; C. Perennes; P.-O. Petrucci; B. Peyaud; Q. Piel; S. Pita; V. Poireau; A. Priyana Noel; D.A. Prokhorov; H. Prokoph; G. Pühlhofer; M. Punch; A. Quirrenbach; S. Raab; R. Rauth; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; Q. Remy; Matthieu Renaud; F. Rieger; L. Rinchiuso; C. Romoli; G. Rowell; B. Rudak; E. Ruiz-Velasco; V. Sahakian; S. Saito; D.A. Sanchez; A. Santangelo; M. Sasaki; R. Schlickeiser; F. Schüssler; A. Schulz; H.M. Schutte; U. Schwanke; S. Schwemmer; M. Seglar-Arroyo; M. Senniappan; A.S. Seyffert; N. Shafi; K. Shiningayamwe; R. Simoni; A. Sinha; H. Sol; A. Specovius; M. Spir-Jacob; Ł. Stawarz; R. Steenkamp; C. Stegmann; C. Steppa; T. Takahashi; T. Tavernier; A.M. Taylor; R. Terrier; D. Tiziani; M. Tluczykont; C. Trichard; M. Tsirou; N. Tsuji; R. Tuffs; Y. Uchiyama; D.J. van Der Walt; C. van Eldik; C. van Rensburg; B. van Soelen; George Vasileiadis; J. Veh; C. Venter; P. Vincent; J. Vink; F. Voisin; H.J. Völk; T. Vuillaume; Z. Wadiasingh; S.J. Wagner; R. White; A. Wierzcholska; R. Yang; H. Yoneda; M. Zacharias; R. Zanin; A.A. Zdziarski; A. Zech; A. Ziegler; J. Zorn; N. Żywucka

doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2354-1

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Resolving acceleration to very high energies along the jet of Centaurus A

Journal article

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Resolving acceleration to very high energies along the jet of Centaurus A

H. Abdalla, R. Adam, F. Aharonian, F. Ait Benkhali, E.O. Angüner, M. Arakawa, C. Arcaro, C. Armand, H. Ashkar, M. Backes, …

Nature, Vol.582(7812), pp.356-359

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2354-1

Abstract

The nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A belongs to a class of active galaxies that are luminous at radio wavelengths. Most show collimated relativistic outflows known as jets, which extend over hundreds of thousands of parsecs for the most powerful sources. Accretion of matter onto the central supermassive black hole is believed to fuel these jets and power their emission Synchrotron radiation from relativistic electrons causes the radio emission, and it has been suggested that the X-ray emission from Centaurus A also originates in electron synchrotron processes Another possible explanation is inverse Compton scattering with cosmic microwave background (CMB) soft photons Synchrotron radiation needs ultrarelativistic electrons (about 50 teraelectronvolts) and, given their short cooling times, requires some continuous re-acceleration mechanism Inverse Compton scattering, on the other hand, does not require very energetic electrons, but the jets must stay highly relativistic on large scales (exceeding 1 megaparsec). Some recent evidence disfavours inverse Compton-CMB models although other work seems to be compatible with them In principle, the detection of extended γ-ray emission, which directly probes the presence of ultrarelativistic electrons, could distinguish between these options. At gigaelectronvolt energies there is also an unusual spectral hardening in Centaurus A that has not yet been explained. Here we report observations of Centaurus A at teraelectronvolt energies that resolve its large-scale jet. We interpret the data as evidence for the acceleration of ultrarelativistic electrons in the jet, and favour the synchrotron explanation for the X-rays. Given that this jet is not exceptional in terms of power, length or speed, it is possible that ultrarelativistic electrons are commonplace in the large-scale jets of radio-loud active galaxies.

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Title: Resolving acceleration to very high energies along the jet of Centaurus A
Creators - without role: H. Abdalla - North-West University
R. Adam - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
F. Aharonian - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
F. Ait Benkhali - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
E.O. Angüner - Aix-Marseille Université
M. Arakawa - Rikkyo University
C. Arcaro - North-West University
C. Armand - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
H. Ashkar - Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
M. Backes - North-West University
V. Barbosa Martins
M. Barnard - North-West University
Y. Becherini - Linnaeus University
D. Berge - German Institute for Adult Education
K. Bernlöhr - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
R. Blackwell - University of Adelaide
M. Böttcher - North-West University
C. Boisson - Délégation Paris 7
J. Bolmont - Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies
S. Bonnefoy - German Institute for Adult Education
Johan Bregeon - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
M. Breuhaus - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
F. Brun - Université Paris-Saclay
P. Brun - Université Paris-Saclay
M. Bryan - University of Amsterdam
M. Büchele - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
T. Bulik - University of Warsaw
T. Bylund - Linnaeus University
M. Capasso - University of Tübingen
S. Caroff - Université Paris Cité
A. Carosi - Université Savoie Mont Blanc
S. Casanova - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
M. Cerruti - Université Paris Cité
T. Chand - North-West University
S. Chandra - North-West University
A. Chen - University of the Witwatersrand
S. Colafrancesco - University of the Witwatersrand
M. Curyło - University of Warsaw
I.D. Davids - University of Namibia
C. Deil - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
J. Devin - Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
P. Dewilt - University of Adelaide
L. Dirson - Universität Hamburg
A. Djannati-Ataï - Université Paris Cité
A. Dmytriiev - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
A. Donath - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
V. Doroshenko - University of Tübingen
L.O'C. Drury
J. Dyks - Polish Academy of Sciences
K. Egberts - University of Potsdam
G. Emery - Université Paris Cité
J.-P. Ernenwein - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
S. Eschbach - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
K. Feijen - University of Adelaide
S. Fegan - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
A. Fiasson - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
G. Fontaine - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
S. Funk - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
M. Füssling
S. Gabici - Sorbonne Paris Cité
Y.A. Gallant - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
F. Gaté - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
G. Giavitto - German Institute for Adult Education
D. Glawion - Heidelberg University
J.F. Glicenstein - Université Paris-Saclay
D. Gottschall - University of Tübingen
M.-H. Grondin - Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
J. Hahn - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
M. Haupt - German Institute for Adult Education
G. Heinzelmann - Universität Hamburg
G. Henri - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
G. Hermann - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
J.A. Hinton - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
W. Hofmann - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
C. Hoischen - University of Potsdam
T.L. Holch - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
M. Holler - Universität Innsbruck
D. Horns - Universität Hamburg
D. Huber - Universität Innsbruck
H. Iwasaki - Rikkyo University
M. Jamrozy - Jagiellonian University
D. Jankowsky - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
F. Jankowsky - Heidelberg University
A. Jardin-Blicq - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
I. Jung-Richardt - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
M.A. Kastendieck - Universität Hamburg
K. Katarzyński - Nicolaus Copernicus University
M. Katsuragawa - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe
U. Katz - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
D. Khangulyan - Rikkyo University
B. Khélifi - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
J. King - Heidelberg University
S. Klepser - German Institute for Adult Education
W. Kluźniak - Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center
N. Komin - University of the Witwatersrand
K. Kosack - Institut de Recherche sur les Lois Fondamentales de l'Univers
D. Kostunin - German Institute for Adult Education
M. Kraus - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
G. Lamanna - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
J. Lau - University of Adelaide
A. Lemière - Sorbonne Paris Cité
M. Lemoine-Goumard - Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
J.-P. Lenain - Université Paris Cité
E. Leser - University of Potsdam
C. Levy - Sorbonne Paris Cité
T. Lohse - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
I. Lypova - German Institute for Adult Education
J. Mackey - Dublin Institute For Advanced Studies
J. Majumdar - German Institute for Adult Education
D. Malyshev - University of Tübingen
V. Marandon - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
Alexandre Marcowith - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
A. Mares - Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
C. Mariaud - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
G. Martí-Devesa - Universität Innsbruck
R. Marx - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
G. Maurin - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
P.J. Meintjes - University of the Free State
A.M.W. Mitchell
R. Moderski - Polish Academy of Sciences
M. Mohamed - Heidelberg University
L. Mohrmann - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
C. Moore - University of Leicester
E. Moulin - Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
J. Muller - École Polytechnique
T. Murach - German Institute for Adult Education
S. Nakashima - Nippon Soken
M. de Naurois - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
H. Ndiyavala - North-West University
F. Niederwanger - Universität Innsbruck
J. Niemiec - Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
L. Oakes - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
P. O'Brien
H. Odaka - The University of Tokyo
S. Ohm - German Institute for Adult Education
E. de Ona Wilhelmi - German Institute for Adult Education
M. Ostrowski - Jagiellonian University
I. Oya
M. Panter - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
R.D. Parsons - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
C. Perennes - Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies
P.-O. Petrucci - Université Grenoble Alpes
B. Peyaud - Université Paris-Saclay
Q. Piel - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
S. Pita - Université Paris Cité
V. Poireau - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
A. Priyana Noel - Jagiellonian University
D.A. Prokhorov - University of the Witwatersrand
H. Prokoph - German Institute for Adult Education
G. Pühlhofer - University of Tübingen
M. Punch - Université Paris Cité
A. Quirrenbach - Heidelberg University
S. Raab - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
R. Rauth - Universität Innsbruck
A. Reimer - Universität Innsbruck
O. Reimer - Universität Innsbruck
Q. Remy - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
Matthieu Renaud - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
F. Rieger - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
L. Rinchiuso - Université Paris-Saclay
C. Romoli - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
G. Rowell - University of Adelaide
B. Rudak - Polish Academy of Sciences
E. Ruiz-Velasco - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
V. Sahakian - A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory
S. Saito - Rikkyo University
D.A. Sanchez - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
A. Santangelo - University of Tübingen
M. Sasaki - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
R. Schlickeiser - Ruhr University Bochum
F. Schüssler - Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers
A. Schulz - German Institute for Adult Education
H.M. Schutte - North-West University
U. Schwanke - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
S. Schwemmer - Heidelberg University
M. Seglar-Arroyo - Université Paris-Saclay
M. Senniappan - Linnaeus University
A.S. Seyffert - North-West University
N. Shafi - University of the Witwatersrand
K. Shiningayamwe - University of Namibia
R. Simoni - University of Amsterdam
A. Sinha - Sorbonne Paris Cité
H. Sol - Délégation Paris 7
A. Specovius - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
M. Spir-Jacob - Université Paris Cité
Ł. Stawarz - Jagiellonian University
R. Steenkamp - University of Namibia
C. Stegmann - University of Potsdam
C. Steppa - University of Potsdam
T. Takahashi - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe
T. Tavernier - Institut de Recherche sur les Lois Fondamentales de l'Univers
A.M. Taylor - German Institute for Adult Education
R. Terrier - Université Paris Cité
D. Tiziani - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
M. Tluczykont - Universität Hamburg
C. Trichard - Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet
M. Tsirou - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
N. Tsuji - Rikkyo University
R. Tuffs - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
Y. Uchiyama - Rikkyo University
D.J. van Der Walt - North-West University
C. van Eldik - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
C. van Rensburg - North-West University
B. van Soelen - University of the Free State
George Vasileiadis - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
J. Veh - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
C. Venter - North-West University
P. Vincent - Université Paris Cité
J. Vink - University of Amsterdam
F. Voisin - University of Adelaide
H.J. Völk - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
T. Vuillaume - Laboratoire d’Annecy de Physique des Particules
Z. Wadiasingh - North-West University
S.J. Wagner - Heidelberg University
R. White - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
A. Wierzcholska - Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
R. Yang - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
H. Yoneda - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe
M. Zacharias - North-West University
R. Zanin - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
A.A. Zdziarski - Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center
A. Zech - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
A. Ziegler - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
J. Zorn - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
N. Żywucka - North-West University
Publication Details: Nature, Vol.582(7812), pp.356-359
Identifiers: 9934114909311
Academic Unit: Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
Local Fields: hal-03099102