The Connection Between Jets, Accretion Disks, and Black Hole Mass in Blazars

摘要

The properties of relativistic radio jets are thought to be closely connectedwith the properties of accretion disks in active galactic nuclei. We explorethis issue using a sample of 35 blazars with very-long baseline observations,for which we can estimate the kinetic powers of their relativistic jets, thebolometric luminosity of their accretion disks, and the masses of their blackholes. Contrary to previous claims, we find that the jet kinetic power issignificantly correlated with the disk luminosity. This supports the notionthat the disk is somehow coupled to the jet, even on parsec scales. Moreover,we show that the correlation improves by including the black hole mass as asecond parameter. The dominance of the jet, parameterized as the ratio of thejet kinetic power to the disk luminosity, is largely controlled by and isinversely correlated with the Eddington ratio of the accretion disk. Thisempirical relation should serve as a useful guide for theoretical models forjet formation.