PROPAGATION OF RELATIVISTIC JETS THROUGH DENSE RADIATION-FIELDS IN AGN

We present the results of our studies on radiation drag imposed on bot h cold and relativistic plasma components in a jet propagating at rela tivistic speeds through a dense radiation field in AGN. We show that i n portions of the jet which are energetically dominated by the magneti c fields, the radiation drag imposed on the jet flow through relativis tic electrons/positrons can be dynamically important out to distances on the order of the size of the broad emission Line region. Both Compt on forces imposed on electrons/positrons by ambient radiation fields a nd Compton cooling rates of relativistic particles are calculated by u sing a radiation tensor formalism. With this method, we were also able to derive several simple analytical formulae allowing quick estimates of dynamical and radiative effects resulting from the interaction of relativistic jets with a variety of external radiation-field distribut ions.