AGN jets: from largest to smallest angular scales

Abstract

Relativistic jets are associated with microquasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN), and thought responsible for the gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The acceleration, collimation and stability/propagation properties of the observed jets remain key jet issues. Producing and modeling these jets theoretically requires general relativistic or special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD/RMHD) along with the radiation microphysics. The task is to relate the observed emission structure to the radiation microphysics and macroscopic dynamics. In this proceedings article I concentrate on reviewing the development of our understanding of jets in the context of the relativistic jets associated with AGN, what past observations from the largest to the smallest angular scales have revealed, and the questions that might be answered through observing AGN jets at the smallest angular scales.