article published yes Emma L Elley author James H Matthews author Henry William Whitehead author b5363ed7-0345-11f1-8029-eef7ff5d6bfc0009-0006-0716-0965 Alex J Cooper author ZoHa department The physics governing the morphology of radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN) jets is not fully understood. We investigate how magnetization, flickering jet power and the interplay between them affects the morphology of radio galaxies. We present a grid of relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations using the pluto code covering constant and variable jets with two levels of magnetization. We find that the constant high-magnetization jets can lead to highly asymmetrical cocoon morphologies, while the variable high-magnetization jet can exhibit a broken morphology, caused by a discontinuous jet beam. Our work highlights the importance of magnetization and variability on the stability and resulting morphology of radio-loud AGN jets, suggesting both are significant factors in addition to jet power or environment. Furthermore, we show that the interaction between magnetization and variability can lead to the development of localized kink instabilities along the jet beam. Finally, we discuss the effects of hydrodynamic mixing in low-magnetization jets and the role of viewing-angle dependence in comparisons between our simulations and observed sources. To facilitate this comparison we present a library of simulated radio images at different times in the simulations and from various viewing angles, which highlight a diverse set of complex morphologies. https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/download/23199/23203/2026_MonthNoticesRAS_Elley.pdf application/pdfno https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Oxford University Press2026 eng 0035-8711 1365-2966 2605.1346910.1093/mnras/stag1798 5524 Elley EL, Matthews JH, Whitehead HW, Cooper AJ. The impact of flickering variability and magnetization on the dynamics, stability, and morphology of radio-loud AGN jets. <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. 2026;552(4). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798">10.1093/mnras/stag1798</a> Elley, Emma L., et al. “The Impact of Flickering Variability and Magnetization on the Dynamics, Stability, and Morphology of Radio-Loud AGN Jets.” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>, vol. 552, no. 4, stag1798, Oxford University Press, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798">10.1093/mnras/stag1798</a>. Elley EL, Matthews JH, Whitehead HW, Cooper AJ. 2026. The impact of flickering variability and magnetization on the dynamics, stability, and morphology of radio-loud AGN jets. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 552(4), stag1798. E. L. Elley, J. H. Matthews, H. W. Whitehead, and A. J. Cooper, “The impact of flickering variability and magnetization on the dynamics, stability, and morphology of radio-loud AGN jets,” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>, vol. 552, no. 4. Oxford University Press, 2026. E.L. Elley, J.H. Matthews, H.W. Whitehead, A.J. Cooper, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 552 (2026). Elley, Emma L, James H Matthews, Henry William Whitehead, and Alex J Cooper. “The Impact of Flickering Variability and Magnetization on the Dynamics, Stability, and Morphology of Radio-Loud AGN Jets.” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. Oxford University Press, 2026. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798">https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798</a>. Elley, E. L., Matthews, J. H., Whitehead, H. W., &#38; Cooper, A. J. (2026). The impact of flickering variability and magnetization on the dynamics, stability, and morphology of radio-loud AGN jets. <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. Oxford University Press. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798">https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1798</a> 231992026-10-27T10:39:59Z2026-10-28T08:19:37Z