Abstract
The continuum distribution of AGN and QSOs extends from radio through x-ray frequencies to γ-ray energies in a few cases. Strongly active nonthermal sources (blazar) spectral-distributions seem to be adequately interpreted in terms of synchrotron self-Compton emission of nonthermal electrons although many interesting physical questions remain. The less strongly active emission line objects exhibit more complicated multifrequency spectral-distributions with a large blue bump at ultraviolet wavelengths as an energetically important and observationally prominent feature. Models are being explored that explain the large blue bump as synchrotron emission from secondary e+e− pairs radiating in the high magnetic field region of a supermassive compact object. As a natural consequence of secondary pair production we also anticipate a high energy x-ray component due to Compton scattering from the large blue bump, a nonthermal infrared component due to pairs radiating in the low field of the broad line region, a Compton scattered x-ray component from the infrared synchrotron emission and π° decay γ-rays with energies greater than 100 Mev. The sum of these components closely resembles the spectral distribution of 3C273 for 109 Hz < ν < 1023 Hz.
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Stein, W.A. (1988). Observations and interpretation of the multifrequency continua of AGN and QSOs. In: Miller, H.R., Wiita, P.J. (eds) Active Galactic Nuclei. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 307. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-19492-4_196
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-19492-4_196
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