Evidence for Relativistic Motion in the Millisecond Structure of BL Lac

1982 ◽  
pp. 385-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Mutel ◽  
R. B. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Relativistic Motion ◽  
Bl Lac

scholarly journals Evidence for Relativistic Motion in the Millisecond Structure of BL Lac

1982 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 385-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Mutel ◽  
R. B. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Position Angle ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Relativistic Motion ◽  
Owens Valley ◽  
Vlbi Observations ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
5 Ghz

After several years of relative quiescence, the flux of BL Lac has increased dramatically at centimeter wavelength, starting about epoch 1979.9 (Fig. 1). We have begun a series of VLBI observations to monitor the milliarcsecond structure at λ6 and λ2.8 cm wavelengths, using a five element VLBI array consisting of telescopes at Bonn, West Germany; Westford, MA; Green Bank, WV; Ft. Davis, TX; and Owens Valley, CA. The first two observations, in 1980 May and September, were at 5 GHz and were not of sufficient resolution to distinguish individual components in the source (Mutel, Phillips and Aller 1981). They did show, however, that the source was highly elongated along position angle ∼ 10° and was expanding that axis with a velocity of ∼4 c. The position angle is the same as several previous VLBI observations of this source, both during quiet periods and during previous flux outbursts (Pearson and Readhead 1981; Shaffer 1978 and references therein).

scholarly journals Gaia-assisted discovery of a detached low-ionisation BAL quasar with very large ejection velocities

2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A111 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. U. Fynbo ◽  
P. Møller ◽  
K. E. Heintz ◽  
J. N. Burchett ◽  
L. Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emission Line ◽  
Absorption Line ◽  
Emission Lines ◽  
Broad Absorption ◽  
Broad Absorption Line ◽  
Red Edge ◽  
First Case ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Spatially Extended ◽  
Extended Emission

We report on the discovery of a peculiar broad absorption line (BAL) quasar identified in our Gaia-assisted survey of red quasars. The systemic redshift of this quasar was difficult to establish because of the absence of conspicuous emission lines. Based on deep and broad BAL troughs of at least Si IV, C IV, and Al III, a redshift of z = 2.41 was established under the assumption that the systemic redshift can be inferred from the red edge of the BAL troughs. However, we observe a weak and spatially extended emission line at 4450 Å that is most likely due to Lyman-α emission, which implies a systemic redshift of z = 2.66 if correctly identified. There is also evidence for the onset of Lyman-α forest absorption bluewards of 4450 Å and evidence for Hα emission in the K band consistent with a systemic redshift of z = 2.66. If this redshift is correct, the quasar is an extreme example of a detached low-ionisation BAL quasar. The BALs must originate from material moving with very large velocities ranging from 22 000 km s−1 to 40 000 km s−1. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a systemic-redshift measurement based on extended Lyman-α emission for a BAL quasar. This method could also be useful in cases of sufficiently distant BL Lac quasars without systemic-redshift information.

scholarly journals Reflecting petawatt lasers off relativistic plasma mirrors: a realistic path to the Schwinger limit

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Quéré ◽  
Henri Vincenti
Keyword(s):  
Light Intensity ◽  
High Power ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Laser Light ◽  
Optical Breakdown ◽  
Relativistic Plasma ◽  
Laser Beams ◽  
Relativistic Motion ◽  
Quantum Vacuum ◽  
High Power Lasers

Abstract The quantum vacuum plays a central role in physics. Quantum electrodynamics (QED) predicts that the properties of the fermionic quantum vacuum can be probed by extremely large electromagnetic fields. The typical field amplitudes required correspond to the onset of the ‘optical breakdown’ of this vacuum, expected at light intensities >4.7×1029 W/cm2. Approaching this ‘Schwinger limit’ would enable testing of major but still unverified predictions of QED. Yet, the Schwinger limit is seven orders of magnitude above the present record in light intensity achieved by high-power lasers. To close this considerable gap, a promising paradigm consists of reflecting these laser beams off a mirror in relativistic motion, to induce a Doppler effect that compresses the light pulse in time down to the attosecond range and converts it to shorter wavelengths, which can then be focused much more tightly than the initial laser light. However, this faces a major experimental hurdle: how to generate such relativistic mirrors? In this article, we explain how this challenge could nowadays be tackled by using so-called ‘relativistic plasma mirrors’. We argue that approaching the Schwinger limit in the coming years by applying this scheme to the latest generation of petawatt-class lasers is a challenging but realistic objective.

scholarly journals Bulk Relativistic Motion in a Complete Sample of Radio Selected AGN

1987 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 287-293
Author(s):  
C.J. Schalinski ◽  
P. Biermann ◽  
A. Eckart ◽  
K.J. Johnston ◽  
T.Ph. Krichbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Radio Sources ◽  
Relativistic Motion ◽  
Complete Sample ◽  
Superluminal Motion ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Show Evidence

A complete sample of 13 flat spectrum radio sources is investigated over a wide range of frequencies and spatial resolutions. SSC-calculations lead to the prediction of bulk relativistic motion in all sources. So far 6 out of 7 sources observed with sufficient dynamic range by means of VLBI show evidence for apparent superluminal motion.

scholarly journals A Comparison of the X-ray Spectra of Quasars and BL Lac Objects

1989 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 197-198
Author(s):  
D. M. Worrall ◽  
B. J. Wilkes
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Radio Spectrum ◽  
Spectral Indices ◽  
Mean Power ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Infrared Frequencies

Quasars with similar core-compact radio properties can be classified by their differences at optical and infrared frequencies. Their X-ray properties might be expected to be similar if the synchrotron self-Compton mechanism relates their radio and X-ray emission. We have compared the 0.2–3.5 keV mean power-law energy spectral indices, , for 4 quasar classes: 12 Highly Polarized QSOs (HPQs), 19 Flat Radio Spectrum, core-compact, low-polarization, QSOs (FRS QSOs), 24 radio-selected BL Lac objects, and 7 X-ray-selected BL Lac objects.

Does relativistic motion always degrade quantum Fisher information?

2021 ◽  
Vol 103 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaobao Liu ◽  
Jiliang Jing ◽  
Zehua Tian ◽  
Weiping Yao
Keyword(s):  
Fisher Information ◽  
Quantum Fisher Information ◽  
Relativistic Motion

scholarly journals The Environment of OJ 287: Nearby Galaxies and a Long Optical Jet?

1996 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 47-48
Author(s):  
A. Sillanpää ◽  
L. Takalo ◽  
K. Nilsson ◽  
T. Pursimo ◽  
P. Teerikorpi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Radio Galaxies ◽  
Trigger Mechanism ◽  
Galaxy Clustering ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Close Interaction ◽  
Relativistic Jet ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Bl Lacs

A widely accepted model for BL Lac objects is that they are radio galaxies with a relativistic jet pointing almost directly towards us. But we need a clear trigger mechanism for these jets. One possibility is the close interaction between the BL Lac host and the closeby galaxies (e.g. Heckman et al. 1986). This interaction has been seen many times in the case of quasars (Hutchings et al. 1989) but not so much is known about the close surroundings of the BL Lac objects although there has been some pioneer work like Stickel et al. (1993). The problem has usually been that the images are not deep enough and that the seeing has not been so good. To clarify the situation we have started an observing program to get very deep images in the sub-arcsecond seeing conditions from the whole 1 Jy sample (Stickel et al. 1991) of BL Lac objects. The aims of this study are: 1. to search for very close companions to the BL Lacs, 2. to study the large scale galaxy clustering around the BL Lacs and 3. to study the BL Lac hosts themselves.

scholarly journals Serendipitous VLBI Observations of Intraday Variability in the BL Lac Objects 1334–127, 2131–021, and 2155–152

1998 ◽  
Vol 164 ◽  
pp. 273-274
Author(s):  
P. Yu. Kochanev ◽  
D. C. Gabuzda
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Variability ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Polarization Structure ◽  
Vlbi Observations ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Vlbi Data ◽  
Intraday Variability

AbstractGlobal λ = 6 cm VLBI polarization observations of intraday variability in the three BLLacertae objects 1334–127, 2131–021, and 2155–152 are analyzed. Integrated VLA measurements during the VLBI observations show that although there were no substantial total intensity variations, the polarizations for these three sources varied significantly during the VLBI experiment. The VLBI data were divided into 2-3 hour segments in order to search for corresponding rapid variability in the VLBI polarization structure. Our analysis shows that the VLA polarization variability in 2155–152 and 2131–021 is present in the VLBI data (i.e., it occurred on mas scales), but this is not the case for 1334–127.

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