Relativistic particles and gamma-rays in quasars and active galactic nuclei

A model for a class of quasars and active galactic nuclei is described in which a shock around a massive black hole randomizes the infall kinetic energy of spherically accreting matter producing a non-thermal spectrum of high energy protons. These protons may be responsible for the secondary production (via πsup(+-) decay) of the radio emitting high energy electrons and also of high energy γ-rays (via π0 decay and inverse Compton interactions of the electrons). The correlation between radio and γ-ray emission implied by the model is in good agreement with observations of 3C273. Observations of the flux of high energy neutrinos from quasars may provide a test for the model. (orig.)