On the spin paradigm and the radio dichotomy of quasars |
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| Authors: | R Moderski M Sikora & J-P Lasota |
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| Institution: | UPR 176 du CNRS;DARC, Observatoire de Paris, Section de Meudon, 92195 Meudon, France,;Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Bartycka 18, 00-716 Warsaw, Poland |
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| Abstract: | We investigate whether models based on the assumption that jets in quasars are powered by rotating black holes can explain the observed radio dichotomy of quasars. We show that in terms of the 'spin paradigm' models, radio-loud quasars could be objects in which the rotation rate of the black hole corresponds to an equilibrium between spin-up by accretion and spin-down by the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. Radio-quiet quasars could be hosting black holes with an average spin much smaller than the equilibrium one. We discuss possible accretion scenarios which can lead to such a bimodal distribution of black hole spins. |
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| Keywords: | accretion accretion discs black hole physics galaxies: active galaxies: evolution quasars: general |
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