Asymmetries of AGN jets in inhomogeneous media

Abstract

Considerable asymmetries in jets from active galactic nuclei (AGN) and associated double radio sources can be caused by an inhomogeneous interstellar medium of the host galaxy. These asymmetries can easily be estimated by 1D propagation models, but hydrodynamical simulations have shown that the actual asymmetries can be considerably larger. With a set of smaller-scale hydrodynamical simulations we examine these asymmetries, and find they are typically a factor of $\sim 3$ larger than in 1D models. We conclude that, at high redshift, large asymmetries in radio sources are expected in gas-rich galaxies with a clumpy interstellar medium.