Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Gamma Rays From Penrose Powered Black Holes In Centaurus A, 3c 273, And Ngc 4151, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Gamma-ray observations of active galaxies have important consequences for theories of the activity in their nuclei. The observations of Cen A, 3C 273, and NGC 4151 are examined under the assumption that Penrose collision processes in the ergospheres of massive black holes power their nuclei. The observed sharp break in the MeV region of the NGC 4151 spectrum cannot be due to the γ-γ pair production process. We attribute this break to the Penrose Compton scattering (PCS), in which γ-rays escape from the ergosphere as a result of Penrose processes involving electrons and lower energy X-ray photons in the ergosphere …