The jet–disc connection in AGN

Abstract

We present our latest results on the connection between the accretion rate and the power of relativistic jets. To this aim we use blazars, whose jet is pointing at us, with visible broad emission lines, along with broad lineless radio-galaxies. We trace the jet power with two proxies (gamma-ray and radio luminosities), while the broad emission lines are a direct measure of the accretion disc luminosity. We find a correlation between the broad emission line and the gamma-ray or luminosities in blazars, suggesting a direct tight connection between the jet and the accretion rate. Only extending our analysis to radio-galaxies, and using as jet tracer the radio luminosity, we are finally able to conclude that jetted AGN can accrete both through a radiatively efficient accretion disc and a hot accretion flow, depending on the accretion rate. We finally observe the transition between the two states among the family of jetted AGN.