Is a bi-stable beam responsible for the complex radio structure of 3C133?

Abstract

It is generally assumed that the extended lobes of radio emission found in many extragalactic sources are powered by oppositely directed supply beams of relativistic particles emanating from the central galactic nucleus 1,2. The complexity and asymmetry of the structure in many sources has, however, led to speculation of a"flip-flop" beam mechanism 3,4 where energy is supplied alternately to each radio lobe. Recent high resolution observations of the radio structure of 3C133 reveal a complex structure in which rotation of the source axis may have uncovered evidence for such a bi-stable nature of the energy supply. There are, however, several difficulties in such an interpretation. © 1981 Nature Publishing Group.