Canonical Particle Acceleration in FRI Radio Galaxies

Matched resolution multi-frequency VLA observations of four radio galaxies are used to derive the asymptotic low energy slope of the relativistic electron distribution. Where available, low energy slopes are also determined for other sources in the literature. They provide information on the acceleration physics independent of radiative and other losses, which confuse measurements of the synchrotron spectra in most radio, optical and X-ray studies. We find a narrow range of inferred low energy electron energy slopes n(E) ∝ E for the currently small sample of lower luminosity sources classified as FRI (not classical doubles). This distribution is close to, but apparently inconsistent with, the test particle limit of n(E) ∝ E expected from strong diffusive shock acceleration in the non-relativistic limit. Relativistic shocks or those modified by the back-pressure of efficiently accelerated cosmic rays are two alternatives to produce somewhat steeper spectra. We note for further study the possiblity of acceleration through shocks, turbulence or shear in the flaring/brightening regions in FRI jets as they move away from the nucleus. Jets on pc scales and the collimated jets and hot spots of FRII (classical double) sources would be governed by different acceleration sites and mechanisms; they appear to show a much wider range of spectra than for FRI sources. Subject headings: acceleration of particles, techniques: image processing, galaxies: active, galaxies: jets, radio continuum: galaxies Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 116 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 Department of Physical Science, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA 19530 United States Naval Academy, 121 Blake Rd., Annapolis, MD 21402 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street MS-67, Cambridge, MA 02138 5 Remote Sensing Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375-5320 Department of Physics, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan