What powers the quasar magnetic beams that power jets?

In summary, the conversation discusses the generation of magnetic beams in quasars. The speaker initially thought that the beams were generated by the orbiting debris consumed by the quasar, but the other person disagrees and explains that the magnetic field is likely generated by the hot plasma in the accretion disk. They also clarify that the singularity itself is not responsible for the magnetic field and that the accretion disk is the main source of light in quasars. The conversation ends with the speaker thanking the other person for their time and gaining a better understanding of the topic.
  • #1
CosmologyHobbyist
61
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TL;DR Summary
what powers the quasar magnetic beams that power jets
I am reading up on quasars because I am interested in the magnetic beams that emanate from their poles, accelerating material.

I read that the magnetic beams are generated by the orbiting debris the quasar is consuming.

Sorry, that doesn't sound right to me. I assumed the black hole core is generating a magnetic field just like the Earth or sun. Magnetic fields are generated by iron, atomic nuclei, maybe spinning singularities as well? A magnetic field is not limited by the gravitational black hole speed-of-light, because it is a field, no? Or does a black hole prevent any magnetic field from extending beyond the event horizon? Really? Its really not making sense to me.

If the magnetic beam is generated by the singularity itself, there should be a relationship between black hole size and magnetic beam strength, and this would affect the length of the accelerated material jets emanating from the quasar poles.
 
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  • #2
CosmologyHobbyist said:
I read that the magnetic beams are generated by the orbiting debris the quasar is consuming.

Sorry, that doesn't sound right to me.

Why not? The accretion disk near the event horizon is composed of very, very hot gas that has likely been completely ionized into a plasma. Just like the Sun, this hot plasma likely generates a magnetic field as it spirals down into the event horizon.

CosmologyHobbyist said:
I assumed the black hole core is generating a magnetic field just like the Earth or sun. Magnetic fields are generated by iron, atomic nuclei, maybe spinning singularities as well?

Unlikely. The singularity is not a physical object, it is a mathematical point where our math breaks down and we can no longer make accurate predictions.
 
  • #3
Thanks Drakkith. On another question I asked, I found out the accretion disks are the major light-emitting component of quasars, so now its fitting together. Thanks for your time.
 
  • #4
I was under mistaken impression that majority of quasar light came from accelerated material in magnetic beams, thus i was puzzled by what was powering the magnetic beams.
 

1. What is a quasar?

A quasar is a highly energetic and distant object in space that emits large amounts of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays.

2. How are quasars powered?

Quasars are powered by supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies. As matter falls into the black hole, it releases large amounts of energy in the form of radiation.

3. What are quasar magnetic beams?

Quasar magnetic beams are jets of charged particles that are accelerated to nearly the speed of light by the strong magnetic fields near the black hole in a quasar.

4. What powers the quasar magnetic beams?

The quasar magnetic beams are powered by the energy released from the accretion of matter onto the supermassive black hole. As the matter falls into the black hole, it creates intense magnetic fields that accelerate the particles in the jets.

5. How do the quasar magnetic beams produce jets?

The intense magnetic fields near the black hole in a quasar act as a funnel, accelerating the charged particles in the jets to high speeds. These particles then travel in opposite directions along the magnetic field lines, producing the powerful jets that extend for thousands of light-years from the quasar.

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