Abstract

The effect of radiation drag on relativistic bulk flows is re-examined. Highly relativistic bulk flows in the nuclear region are subject to Compton drag, i.e. radiation deceleration as a result of inverse Compton scattering of ambient soft photon fields from emission from the accretion disk, broad line region, or dusty torus. Possible observational consequences of X-/γ-ray emission produced from Compton drag are specifically discussed.