Morphology and Dynamical Properties of Ultra-Relativistic Jets

Abstract

We study the structures and dynamics of flows generated by ultra-relativistic jets on kpc scales through three-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamics (RHD) simulations. We employ a newly developed RHD code, equipped with the WENO-Z reconstruction, the SSPRK time discretization, and an equation of state that closely approximates the single-component perfect gas in relativistic regime. Exploring a set of models with various parameters, we confirm that the well-known Fanaroff–Riley dichotomy is primarily determined by the jet power, whereas the morphology of simulated jets also depends on the secondary parameters such as the momentum injection rate and the ratio of the jet to background pressure. Utilizing high resolution capabilities of the newly developed code, we examine in detail the dynamical properties of complex flows in different parts of jet-produced structures, and present the statistics of nonlinear dynamics such as shock, shear, and turbulence.