
It is now well known that X-ray emission in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is a fairly common phenomenon (see M.J. Rees’s review in this volume). By examining the recent observational information from Ariel V, HEAO-1, and the Einstein Observatory, we have reached the conclusion (Tsuruta 1981) that the following interpretation may be used as a relevant working hypothesis in our further theoretical and observational investigations. The observed X-rays from AGN are one or the other (or both) of the two components: (a) the steeper and softer component and (b) the flatter and harder component. The former, (a), seems to be predominant in what the Columbia group (Ku et al 1980) calls the type II group (radio-active quasars, BL Lacs, some N galaxies, and especially OVVs), while the X-rays observed from the type I group (optical quasars, seyferts, etc.) are most likely the latter, (b). In our interpretation, the component (a) may probably be non-thermal (synchrotron), related to violent phenomena involving relativistically expanding plasma (e.g. Blandford and Rees 1978), while the component (b) is due to Comptonization of cyclotron higher harmonics (Takahara et al 1981). Intensity of both components for some objects appear to be highly variable over a time scale of months. Therefore, it is quite reasonable if in one object, one or the other (or both) of these components are seen at different times, e.g. ESO 141-G55(Boldt 1980). In the type II objects (BL Lacs, etc.), the radio, optical and X-ray emissions may be caused by the same mechanism (e.g. synchro-compton), while for the type I objects, another mechanism, such as plasma instabilities in the outer clouds (e.g. Tsuruta 1977), may be responsible for the infrared-optical emission. In this picture, radio and gamma ray emissions from the type I objects (e.g. NGC 4151) are caused by some other mechanisms. It is highly desirable that the above hypothesis be tested by various observational programs planned in the near future. In this connection, simultaneous observations of time variabilities in different energy bands (such as those done for Sco X-1) may be extremely valuable. In the rest of this report, we shall briefly outline our model which is relevant for the harder, flatter component (b), and then we shall summarize the results of our calculation. We feel that this (the component (b)) can be regarded as a fairly common and more or less universal phenomenon, because this component is predominant in the type I objects and almost 90% of the AGN’s belong to this group (Ku et al 1980), and also because it appears that this component is occasionally observed in some of the type II objects, too (e.g. PKS 0548-322, Boldt 1980). In our interpretation, the component (b) is most of the time not seen in BL Lacs and other type II objects, because the component (a) is much stronger in these sources.
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