Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Penrose photoproduction processes: A high efficiency energy mechanism for active galactic nuclei and quasars

Journal Article · · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.32098· OSTI ID:5430258
Recent observations of NGC 4151 and 3C273 suggest that the nuclei of active galaxies have very high gamma ray efficiencies. In addition, optical studies of M87 have indicated the possibility of a massive Mapprox.5 x 10/sup 9/ M/sub sun/ black holes being present in its central region. The above facts have led us to study a new physical mechanism, Penrose Photoproduction Processes in the ergospheres of massive Kerr black holes, as a way to account for the fluctuating, high efficiency, energy production associated with active galaxies and quasars. Observational signatures, associated with this mechanism, occur in the form of approx.2 MeV and approx.2 GeV gamma ray cutoffs which might be corroborated by the observed spectra of NGC 4151 and 3C273, respectively.
Research Organization:
Physics Department, George Mason University, Fairfax VA
OSTI ID:
5430258
Journal Information:
AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Vol. 56:1; ISSN APCPC
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Gammay rays from Penrose powered black holes in centaurus A, 3C 273, and NGC 4151
Journal Article · Thu Feb 14 23:00:00 EST 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5392411

Penrose pair production as a power source of quasars and active galactic nuclei
Journal Article · Sat Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1979 · Astrophys. J.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6183089

Gamma-ray observations of Seyfert galaxies and the problem of the extragactic gamma-ray background
Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1979 · Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5044930