Modelling the multi-wavelength emission of flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C 279

Abstract

We employ a length-dependent conical jet model for the jet structure and emission properties of flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C 279 in the steady state. In the model, ultra-relativistic leptons are injected at the base of the jet and propagate along the jet structure. Non-thermal photons are produced by both synchrotron emission and inverse Compton scattering off synchrotron photons and external soft photons at each segment of the jet. We derive the total energy spectra contribution through integrating every segment. We apply the model to the quasi-simultaneous multi-wavelength observed data of two quiescent epochs. Using the observed radio data of the source, we determine the length of the jet <it>L</it> ∼ 100 pc and the magnetic field <it>B</it><inf>0</inf> ∼ 0.1–1 G at the base of the jet. Assuming a steady geometry of the jet structure and suitable physical parameters, we reproduce the multi-wavelength spectra during two quiescent observed epochs. Our results show that the initial γ-ray emission site is ∼0.5 pc from the black hole.