Studies in Radio Source Structure--III: Inverse Compton Radiation from Radio Sources

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Abstract
Various consequences of the inverse Compton effect in radio sources are considered. Scattering of synchrotron radiation by relativistic electrons gives rise to a higher frequency flux, which can then be scattered a second time, and so on. The resulting ‘Compton-synchrotron’ spectrum is calculated for simple source models. The variable cores of quasars may emit more energy by the Compton effect than in the form of synchrotron radiation. The γ -rays resulting from repeated scatterings could collide with photons within the quasar, producing relativistic electron–positron pairs which would modify the spectrum of the radiation. Compton scattering of synchrotron radiation would also be important in sources whose magnetic field is weak, and in very inhomogeneous extended sources. Compton scattering of the primeval black body background limits the lifetime of relativistic electrons in sources and gives rise to an X-ray flux. This process is more important in sources with large red-shifts. Finally the contribution of inverse Compton emission to the observed X-ray background is considered briefly.

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