Parsec-scale properties of steep and flat spectrum extragalactic radio sources from a VLBA survey of a complete north polar cap sample
Alexander V. Popkov, Yuri Y. Kovalev, Leonid Y. Petrov, Yuri A. Kovalev
备注：
27 pages, 16 figures (of them, 4 are figure sets), 7 tables (of them, 5 are machine readable); accepted to The Astronomical Journal. The machine readable tables and complete figure sets can be downloaded as ancillary files
We observed with the VLBA at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz a complete flux-density limited sample of 482 radio sources with declination >+75 degrees brighter than 200 mJy at 1.4 GHz drawn from the NVSS catalog. 34% of the sources show parsec-scale emission above the flux density detection limit of 30 mJy; their accurate positions and parsec-scale structure parameters are determined. Among all the sources detected at least at the shortest VLBA baselines, the majority, or 72%, has a steep single-dish spectrum. The fraction of the sources with a detectable parsec-scale structure is above 95% among the flat-spectrum and close to 25% among the steep-spectrum objects. We identified 82 compact steep-spectrum source candidates, which make up 17% of the sample; most of them are reported for the first time. The compactness and the brightness temperature of the sources in our sample show a positive correlation with single-dish and VLBA spectral indices. All the sources with a significant 8 GHz variability were detected by the VLBA snapshot observations, which independently confirmed their compactness. We demonstrated that 54% of the sources detected by the VLBA at 2.3 GHz in our sample have a steep VLBA spectrum. The compact radio emission of these sources is likely dominated by optically thin jets or mini-lobes, not by an opaque jet core. These results show that future VLBI surveys aimed to search for new sources with parsec-scale structure should include not only flat-spectrum sources, but also steep-spectrum ones in order to reach an acceptable level of completeness.
We present new multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of a set of TeV blazars drawn from our VLBA program to monitor all TeV-detected high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects (HBLs) at parsec scales. Most of these sources are faint in the radio, so they have not been well observed with VLBI by other surveys. Our previous measurements of apparent jet speeds in TeV HBLs showed apparent jet speeds that were subluminal or barely superluminal, suggesting jets with velocity structures at the parsec-scale. Here we present apparent jet speed measurements for eight new TeV HBLs, which for…
We present 5321 milliarcsecond-resolution total intensity and linear polarization maps of 437 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) obtained with the VLBA at 15 GHz as part of the MOJAVE survey, and also from the NRAO data archive. The former is a long-term program to study the structure and evolution of powerful parsec-scale outflows associated with AGNs. The targeted AGNs are drawn from several flux-limited radio and gamma-ray samples, and all have correlated VLBA flux densities greater than about 50 mJy at 15 GHz. Approximately 80% of these AGNs are associated with gamma-ray sources detected by the…
We analyze the parsec-scale jet kinematics from 2007 June to 2018 December of a sample of $γ$-ray bright blazars monitored roughly monthly with the Very Long Baseline Array at 43 GHz under the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR program. We implement a novel piece-wise linear fitting method to derive the kinematics of 521 distinct emission knots from a total of 3705 total intensity images in 22 quasars, 13 BL Lacertae objects, and 3 radio galaxies. Apparent speeds of these components range from $0.01c$ to $78c$, and 18.6\% of knots (other than the "core") are quasi-stationary. One-fifth of moving knots exhibit non…
We present 1625 new 15 GHz (2 cm) VLBA images of 295 jets associated with active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the MOJAVE and 2 cm VLBA surveys, spanning observations between 1994 Aug 31 and 2013 Aug 20. For 274 AGNs with at least 5 VLBA epochs, we have analyzed the kinematics of 961 individual bright features in their parsec-scale jets. A total of 122 of these jets have not been previously analyzed by the MOJAVE program. In the case of 451 jet features that had at least 10 epochs, we also examined their kinematics for possible accelerations. At least half of the well-sampled features have non-r…
Supermassive binary black holes (BBHs) on sub-parsec scales are prime targets for gravitational wave experiments. They also provide insights on close binary evolution and hierarchical structure formation. Sub-parsec BBHs cannot be spatially resolved but indirect methods can identify candidates. In 2015 Liu et al. reported an optical-continuum periodicity in the quasar PSO J334.2028+01.4075, with the estimated mass and rest-frame period suggesting an orbital separation of about 0.006 pc (0.7 micro-arcsec). The persistence of the quasar's optical periodicity has recently been disfavored over an …
We analyze the parsec-scale jet kinematics from 2007 June to 2013 January of a sample of $γ$-ray bright blazars monitored roughly monthly with the Very Long Baseline Array at 43~GHz. In a total of 1929 images, we measure apparent speeds of 252 emission knots in 21 quasars, 12 BL~Lacertae objects (BLLacs), and 3 radio galaxies, ranging from 0.02$c$ to 78$c$; 21\% of the knots are quasi-stationary. Approximately 1/3 of the moving knots execute non-ballistic motions, with the quasars exhibiting acceleration along the jet within 5~pc (projected) of the core, and knots in the BLLacs tending to dece…
We observed 20 Palomar-Green (PG) quasars at low redshift ($z<0.5$) with total flux density > 1 mJy, including 4 radio-loud quasars (RLQs) and 16 radio-quiet quasars (RQQs), using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 5 GHz. Ten RQQs are clearly detected in the VLBA images, and a compact radio core is identified in eight of them, indicating the prevalence of active galactic nucleus (AGN)-related radio emission in this flux-density-limited RQQ sample. The RQQs and RLQs in our sample have a division at $\sim$30~mJy. The radio emission from RQQs appears to be the result of a combination of star …
The jet in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is a key ingredient in understanding the co-evolution of galaxies and their central supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Unfortunately, the mechanism of jet launching and collimation is still elusive. The observational evidence of decreasing radio loudness with increasing Eddington ratio implies that the jet should be coupled with the accretion process. To further explore the relationship between the jet and accretion, it is necessary to extend our knowledge of the jet to an extreme end of the Eddington ratio distribution of AGN. Using Very Long Baseline Ar…
A VLBA-resolved Jet Associated with Super-Eddington Accretion in a Radio-loud Quasar at $z=3.4$
Waseda University（早稻田大学）；New York University Abu Dhabi（阿布扎比纽约大学）；Nagoya City University（名古屋市立大学）；National Astronomical Observatory of Japan（日本国立天文台）；Tohoku University（东北大学）
Double-peaked emission line AGN (DPAGN) have been regarded as binary black hole candidates. We present here results from parsec-scale radio observations with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) of five DPAGN belonging to the KISSR sample of emission-line galaxies. This work concludes our pilot study of nine type 2 Seyfert and LINER DPAGN from the KISSR sample. In the nine sources, dual compact cores are only detected in the "offset AGN", KISSR 102. The overall incidence of jets however, in the eight sources detected with the VLBA, is $\ge$60%. We find a difference in the "missing flux density"…
Multi-epoch VLBI observations of the blazar 3C 66A: Spatial twisting and temporal oscillation of the parsec-scale jet
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute（韩国天文与空间科学研究所）；LUX, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université（巴黎天文台，PSL大学，法国国家科学研究中心，索邦大学）；Department of Astronomy & Center for Galaxy Evolution Research, Yonsei University（延世大学天文学系与星系演化研究中心）；Max-Planck Institut für Radioastronomie（马克斯·普朗克射电天文研究所）；Korea National University of Science and Technology（韩国科学技术院）
The narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy PMN J0948+0022 is an archetype of gamma-ray-emitting NLS1s in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this study, we investigate its radio structures using archival data obtained using the Karl G.~Jansky very large array (VLA) and the very long baseline array (VLBA). The new VLA images reveal an outermost radio emission separated by 9.1 arcsec. Its resolved structure and steep spectrum suggest a terminal shock in a radio lobe energized by the jet from the PMN J0948+0022 nucleus. This large-scale radio component is found at almost the same position angle as tha…
We present the first results from the Fundamental Reference AGN Monitoring Experiment (FRAMEx), an observational campaign dedicated to understanding the physical processes that affect the apparent positions and morphologies of AGNs. In this work, we obtained simultaneous Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio observations for a snapshot campaign of 25 local AGNs that form a volume-complete sample with hard X-ray (14-195 keV) luminosities above $10^{42}$erg s$^{-1}$, out to a distance of 40 Mpc. Despite achieving an observation depth of $\sim20$ $μ$Jy, we find tha…
We present 88 multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) images (most at an observing frequency of 8 GHz), of 20 TeV blazars, all of the HBL class, that have not been previously studied at multiple epochs on the parsec scale. From these 20 sources, we analyze the apparent speeds of 43 jet components that are all detected at four or more epochs. As has been found for other TeV HBLs, the apparent speeds of these components are relatively slow. About two-thirds of the components have an apparent speed that is consistent (within two-sigma) with no motion; and some of these components may be stati…
Context. Monitoring of BL Lacertae at 15 GHz with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) has revealed a quasi-stationary radio feature in the innermost part of the jet, at 0.26 mas from the radio core. Stationary features are found in many blazars, but they have rarely been explored in detail. Aims. We aim to study the kinematics, dynamics, and brightness of the quasi-stationary feature of the jet in BL Lacertae based on VLBA monitoring with submilliarcsecond resolution (subparsec-scales) over 17 years. Methods. We analysed position uncertainties and flux leakage effects of the innermost quasi-st…
Using the JVLA, we explored the Galactic center (GC) with a resolution of 0.05" at 33.0 and 44.6 GHz. We detected 64 hyper-compact radio sources (HCRs) in the central parsec. The dense group of HCRs can be divided into three spectral types: 38 steep-spectrum ($α\le-0.5$) sources; 10 flat-spectrum ($-0.5<α\le0.2$) sources; and 17 inverted-spectrum sources having $α>0.2$, assuming $S\proptoν^α$. The steep-spectrum HCRs are likely represent a population of massive stellar remnants associated with nonthermal compact radio sources powered by neutron stars and stellar black holes. The surface-densit…
We present measurements of proper motion of the sub-parsec scale jet at 22 GHz in the nearby FR I galaxy 3C 66B. Observations were made using the VLBA at six epochs over four years. A phase-referencing technique was used to improve the image quality of the weak and diffuse jet components. We find that the inner knots are almost stationary, though one of them was expected to be detected with the apparent speed of 0.2 mas/yr according to 8 GHz monitoring at the same observation epochs. Clear flux variations are not observed in the core at 22 GHz, in contrast, clear flux enhancement is observed i…
We report the high-resolution radio observations of eight Fanaroff-Riley type 0 radio galaxies (FR 0s), selected from the published FR 0 sample. These observations were carried out with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and European VLBI Network (EVN) at frequencies of 5 and 8 GHz with a highest resolution of 0.6 mas. All eight sources show compact structures on projected physical sizes of 0.3-10 parsec. Six sources show a two-sided structure and two sources show a one-sided jet structure. J1025+1022 shows an X-shaped jet structure, which could result from a reorientation of the jet axis due…
We report results on multi-epoch Very Large Array (VLA) and pc-scale Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of candidate compact symmetric objects (CSOs) from the faint sample of high frequency peakers. New VLBA observations could resolve the radio structure in about 42 per cent of the observed sources, showing double components that may be either mini-lobes or core-jet structures. Almost all the sources monitored by the VLA show some variability on time scale of a decade, and only 1 source does not show any significant variation. In 17 sources the flux density changes randomly as it is …
We performed multi-frequency studies on the gigahertz-peaked spectrum high-redshift quasar 0858-279. Initially, the source presented itself in the early VLBI images as a very peculiar resolved blob. We observed the quasar with the VLBA at 1.4-24 GHz in a dual-polarization mode. The high spatial resolution and the spectral index maps enabled us to resolve the core-jet structure and locate a weak and compact core by its inverted spectrum. The dominant jet component 20 parsecs away from the core was optically thin above 10 GHz and opaque below it. We also estimated an uncommonly strong magnetic f…
Within the MOJAVE VLBA program (Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA Experiments), we have accumulated observational data at 15 GHz for hundreds of jets in $γ$-ray bright active galactic nuclei since the beginning of the Fermi scientific observations in August 2008. We investigated a time delay between the flux density of AGN parsec-scale radio emission at 15 GHz and 0.1$-$300 GeV Fermi LAT photon flux, taken from constructed light curves using weekly and adaptive binning. The correlation analysis shows that radio is lagging $γ$-ray radiation by up to 8 months in the observer's frame, while in …
VLA FRAMEx. III. Circumnuclear Radio Emission Mechanisms in Hard X-ray Selected Active Galactic Nuclei
The George Washington University（乔治华盛顿大学）；Space Telescope Science Institute（太空望远镜科学研究所）；University of Maryland Baltimore County（马里兰大学巴尔的摩县分校）；Arlington Public Schools（阿灵顿公立学校）
PG 1553+113 is the first blazar showing an approximately two-year quasi-periodic pattern in its gamma-ray light curve. Such quasi-periodicity might have a geometrical origin, possibly related to the precessing nature of the jet, or could be intrinsic to the source and related to pulsational accretion flow instabilities. By means of a ~2yr very long baseline array (VLBA) monitoring at 15, 24, and 43 GHz we investigate the source pc-scale properties during an entire cycle of gamma-ray activity in the period 2015-2017. In contrast to the well-defined periodicity in the gamma-ray emission, at radi…
Very Long Baseline Interferometry Search for Nuclear Radio Continuum Emission in the Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 7479
National Radio Astronomy Observatory（国家射电天文台）；Texas Tech University（德克萨斯理工大学）；Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie（马克斯·普朗克射电天文研究所）；Space Telescope Science Institute（太空望远镜科学研究所）；Morehead State University（莫尔黑德州立大学）
AGN Fueling and Radio Jet Evolution in the Galaxy Group NGC 5044 revealed by VLBA HI Absorption and Proper-Motion Radio Observations
Università di Bologna（博洛尼亚大学）；Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica - Istituto di Radioastronomia (IRA)（意大利国家天体物理研究所-射电天文研究所）；Naval Research Laboratory（海军研究实验室）
We present a comprehensive 5-43 GHz VLBA study of the blazar 3C 273 initiated after an onset of a strong $γ$-ray flare in this source. We have analyzed the kinematics of new-born components, light curves, and position of the apparent core to pinpoint the location of the $γ$-ray emission. Estimated location of the $γ$-ray emission zone is close to the jet apex, 2 pc to 7 pc upstream from the observed 7 mm core. This is supported by ejection of a new component. The apparent core position was found to be inversely proportional to frequency. The brightness temperature in the 7 mm core reached valu…
Hints of High Core Faraday Rotations from a Joint Analysis of VLBA and Optical Polarization Data
虽然射电巨响的活动星系核（AGN）的连续体通常在几乎整个光谱上都由同步辐射控制，但尚不清楚射电和高频辐射是起源于喷流的同一部分还是不同部分。最近已经发现了几种不同的基于偏振数据的无线电-光学相关性，这表明光学和无线电偏振可能密切相关，并且相应的发射区域可能是共空间的（Gabuzda et. al 2006，Jorstad et al. 2007，D 'Arcangelo et al. 2007）我们对大约40个活动星系核样本的光学和VLBA偏振数据的联合分析表明，在对推断的VLBA核心法拉第旋转进行校正后，大多数BL Lac天体和一些类星体具有对准的VLBA核心偏振和光学偏振，尽管许多类星体的VLBA核与光学偏振角之间也没有明显的关系。这可能表明，并不是所有的活动星系核在其喷流中都有光辐射和射电辐射的共空间区域。然而，另一种可能性是，一些7 mm-2 cm VLBA核心的法拉第旋转大约为数万rad/m^2，由于观测到的偏振角中的n*pi模糊性，我们的三频数据不能正确拟合，导致核心法拉第旋转的影响被错误地扣除，从而导致不正确的“零波长”无线电偏振角。Zavala & Taylor（2004）和Jorstad et al.（2007）的秒差距尺度法拉第旋转研究结果支持这种高核心法拉第旋转的可能性。
We present the results from 1.5 and 5 GHz phase-referenced VLBA and 1.5 GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy KISSR1219, which exhibits double peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. The VLA and VLBA data reveal a one-sided core-jet structure at roughly the same position angles, providing evidence of an AGN outflow. The absence of dual parsec-scale radio cores puts the binary black hole picture in doubt for the case of KISSR1219. The high brightness temperatures of the parsec-scale core and jet components ($>10^6$ K) are consistent with this inte…
We present an analysis of the core linear polarization properties of 387 parsec-scale active galactic nuclei (AGN) jets. Using 15 GHz VLBA data, we revisit the conclusions of the first paper in this series with multi-epoch measurements and more detailed analysis of a larger AGN sample which spans a broader range of synchrotron peak frequencies. Each AGN has been observed for at least five epochs between 1996 and 2017. We find that BL Lac objects have core electric vector position angles (EVPAs) which tend towards alignment with the local jet direction; compared to flat spectrum radio quasars (…
We conducted a Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observation of the low mass active galactic nucleus (AGN) in galaxy NGC 4293 ($z=0.003$). The object is associated with a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER). Its black hole mass is estimated as $\sim10^5$ or $\sim10^7 M_\odot$. The VLBA 1.5 GHz image shows an inverse symmetric structure with two discrete radio blobs separated by an angular distance of $\sim120$ mas, corresponding to $\sim7$ parsec. Furthermore, its integrated radio spectrum has a turnover at the frequency of $\sim0.44$ GHz. Based on the compactness and spectrum, t…
In this paper, we present the analysis of new radio and optical observations of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 783. 1.6 GHz observations performed with the e-MERLIN interferometer confirm the presence of the diffuse emission previously observed. The Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) also detects the nuclear source both at 1.6 GHz (L-Band) and 5 GHz (C-band). While the L-band image shows only an unresolved core, the C-band image shows the presence of a partially resolved structure, at a position angle of 60°. The brightness temperature of the emission in both bands ($>10^6$ K) suggests that…
PKS 1155+251 is a radio-loud quasar source at z=0.203. Observations using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) at ~2, 5, 8 and 15 GHz show that the structure of the radio source is quite complicated on parsec scales and that the outer hot spots are apparently undergoing a significant contraction. Because these results cannot be fully explained based on the compact symmetric object (CSO) scenario with a radio core located between the northern and southern complexes, we made observations with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 24 and 43 GHz to search for compact substructures and alterna…
We have performed a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) survey of local (z < 0.05) ultra hard X-ray (14-195 keV) selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) using KVN, KaVA, and VLBA. We first executed fringe surveys of 142 BAT-detected AGN at 15 or 22 GHz. Based on the fringe surveys and archival data, we find 10/279 nearby AGN (~4%) VLBI have 22 GHz flux above 30 mJy. This implies that the X-ray AGN with a bright nuclear jet are not common. Among these 10 radio-bright AGN, we obtained 22 GHz VLBI imaging data of our own for four targets and reprocess…
We analysed the parsec-scale linear polarization properties of 436 active galactic nuclei (AGN) based on 15 GHz polarimetric Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations. We present polarization and total intensity images averaged over at least five epochs since 1996 January 19 through 2019 August 4. Stacking improves the image sensitivity down to $\sim$30 $μ$Jy/beam and effectively fills out the jet cross-section both in total intensity and linear polarization. It delineates the long-term persistent magnetic field configuration and its regularity by restoring spatial distributions of the elec…
Radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs), hosting powerful relativistic jet outflows, provide an excellent laboratory for studying jet physics. Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) enables high-resolution imaging on milli-arcsecond (mas) and sub-mas scales, making it a powerful tool to explore the inner jet structure, shedding light on the formation, acceleration and collimation of AGN jets. In this paper, we present Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of ten radio-loud AGNs at 43 and 86~GHz, which were selected from the {\it Planck} catalogue of compact sources and are among the …
We report the detection of an intriguing parsec-scale radio source in the "offset AGN" candidate, KISSR 102. The elliptical host galaxy includes two optical nuclei at a projected separation of 1.54 kpc, N1 and N2, to the south-east and north-west, respectively. Phase-referenced VLBA observations at 1.5 and 4.9 GHz of this LINER galaxy, have detected double radio components (A and B) at a projected separation of 4.8 parsec at 1.5 GHz, and another partially-resolved double radio structure at 4.9 GHz coincident with the brighter radio component A. These radio detections are confined to the optica…
We present high angular resolution imaging of the quasar PSO J172.3556+18.7734 at $z=6.82$ with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). This source currently holds the record of being the highest redshift radio-loud quasar. These observations reveal a dominant radio source with a flux density of $398.4 \pm 61.4~μ$Jy at 1.53 GHz, a deconvolved size of $9.9 \times 3.5$ mas ($52.5 \times 18.6$ pc), and an intrinsic brightness temperature of ($4.7 \pm 0.7) \times 10^7$ K. A weak unresolved radio extension from the main source is also detected at $\sim~3.1σ$ level. The total flux density recovered wit…
