  Using a large set of optically detected hotspots in powerful extragalactic
double radio sources, we examine the basic question of whether the detection of
optical synchrotron radiation requires in-situ acceleration of relativistic
electrons within the hotspots/lobes. For this, we take into account the jet's
bulk relativistic motion, as well as its likely misalignment from the plane of
the sky. Together, both these factors can drastically reduce the apparent range
of the ultra-relativistic electrons ejected from the nucleus in the form of a
jet. The conventionally adopted parameter space for the fundamental variables,
namely, the hotspot magnetic field, radio source orientation angle relative to
the line-of-sight and the bulk speed of the jet plasma, is considered. We find
that the observed optical/near-IR synchrotron emission of the hotspots can be
explained even if the radiating relativistic electrons were accelerated
exclusively within the nuclear region, provided the energy losses incurred by
the electrons during their transport down the jet are dominated by inverse
Compton upscatterings of the cosmic microwave background photons. Under this
circumstance, in-situ acceleration of relativistic electrons inside the
hotspots or lobes is not found to be mandated by their reported
optical/near-infrared detections.
