On the excitation of the FeK alpha line in AGNs by the impact of beams of highly relativistic electrons on the disk

Abstract

The propagation of highly relativistic electron beams in dense matter induces a cascade of secondary particles that spreads in the environment redistributing efficiently the beam energy in the medium. Such a highly relativistic beams are expected to be produced in the magnetic reconnection events associated with the flaring activity of the magnetized accretion disks of the AGNs. This contribution presents a quantitative analysis of the possible role of these beams in the excitation of the Fe K alpha line.