Relativistic beams, thick accretion disks and active galactic nuclei

Abstract

We review recent analyses of observations of radio galaxies and quasars that support the relativistic beaming models and appear to produce values for the Lorentz factors of the radiating mateiral in the nuclear jets. Thick accretion disk models for active galactic nuclei seem to yield comparable values for the Lorentz foctors, and this coincidence may be taken as support for these models.