Classification and Jet Power of Fermi Blazars

Abstract

Abstract In this work, we compile a sample of 449 Fermi blazars with the luminosity of the broadline region, the black hole mass, the beam radio luminosity, and the jet power; obtain the beam power and the black hole spin; investigate the dividing line between BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) and flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) to identify the discrepancies in their dominant mechanisms; and revisit the dependence of the jet power on the disk accretion luminosity, the black hole mass, and the black hole spin. We come to the following conclusions. (1) A boundary of log (L BLR/L Edd) = −3.14, separating the BL Lacs and the FSRQs, is obtained from the Bayesian analysis, which is consistent with the results from the literature. We employ the boundary to divide the blazar candidates of uncertain types into candidates for BL Lacs or FSRQs, and we find five changing-look blazars at the same time. (2) A strong correlation is found between black hole mass and intrinsic γ-ray luminosity, but a weaker correlation is found between black hole mass and observed γ-ray luminosity. The latter is weakened by jet effects: it is apparently weak for BL Lacs that have disordered amplification of the Doppler factor, since their mechanism is dominated by jets, while it is moderate for FSRQs, since their mechanism is dominated by accretion processes. (3) The jets of both FSRQs and BL Lacs are likely governed by the Blandford–Znajek mechanism.