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[9.06] Measuring the Magnetic Field at the Base of Jets From Active Galactic Nuclei

S. B. Hughes, H. Krawczynski, J. Buckley (Washington University in St. Louis), P. S. Coppi (Yale University)

Today's space-borne x-ray and ground based gamma-ray telescopes can sample the non-thermal continuum radiation of jets from active galactic nuclei with a time resolution of a few minutes. Extensive multiwavelength campaigns have indeed revealed a close correlation between the x-ray and TeV gamma-ray fluxes. Sampling the temporal evolution of the x-ray and/or gamma-ray energy spectra makes it possible to measure the jet magnetic field at its base. We use time-dependent Synchrotron Self-Compton model simulations to explore the possibility of using the Discrete Correlation Function (DCF) of Edelson and Krolik (1988) to find time lags between the flux variability at different frequencies. In this contribution, we will present movies of our model calculations and discuss the results, including the modeling of RXTE and Whipple observations of the blazar 1ES1959+650. We find that the DCF is a very suitable tool to measure the time lags, and thus the jet magnetic field.

We acknowledge NASA support by grant NAG5-13770. SBH also acknowledges support from the McDonnell Center for the Spaces Sciences.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.