On the nonthermal X-ray emission in blazar jets

Abstract

We consider particle acceleration to high energy via diffusive shock acceleration in a simple, self-consistent shock in jet model for blazars. Electrons are assumed to be accelerated at a shock front in relativistic jets and radiate synchrotron emission in a post-shock region. The full time, space and momentum dependence of the electron distribution function is used for a calculation of the nonthermal synchrotron spectra. We discuss the evolution of the spectral index by varying the rate at which particles enter the acceleration process. The results indicate that the synchrotron spectral index displays a characteristic looplike behaviour with intensity (as has been observed in several blazars), where the orientation of the loop depends on whether the acceleration time scale is comparable to the synchrotron cooling time scale or not. We show that our model provides a good fit to the observed evolution of the spectral index of Mkn 421 during a flare in 1994.