scholarly journals Jets in AGN at extremely high redshifts

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (S313) ◽  
pp. 327-328
Author(s):  
Leonid I. Gurvits ◽  
Sándor Frey ◽  
Zsolt Paragi

The jet phenomenon is a trademark of active galactic nuclei (AGN). In most general terms, the current understanding of this phenomenon explains the jet appearance by effects of relativistic plasma physics. The fundamental source of energy that feeds the plasma flow is believed to be the gravitational field of a central supermassive black hole. While the mechanism of energy transfer and a multitude of effects controlling the plasma flow are yet to be understood, major properties of jets are strikingly similar in a broad range of scales from stellar to galactic. They are supposed to be controlled by a limited number of physical parameters, such as the mass of a central black hole and its spin, magnetic field induction and accretion rate. In a very simplified sense, these parameters define the formation of a typical core–jet structure observed at radio wavelengths in the region of the innermost central tens of parsecs in AGN. These core–jet structures are studied in the radio domain by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) with milli- and sub-milliarcsecond angular resolution. Such structures are detectable at a broad range of redshifts. If observed at a fixed wavelength, a typical core–jet AGN morphology would appear as having a steep-spectrum jet fading away with the increasing redshift while a flat-spectrum core becoming more dominant. If core–jet AGN constitute the same population of objects throughout the redshift space, the apparent “prominence” of jets at higher redshifts must decrease (Gurvits 1999): well pronounced jets at high z must appear less frequent than at low z.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (11) ◽  
pp. 059
Author(s):  
Z. Stuchlík ◽  
J. Vrba

Abstract Recently introduced exact solution of the Einstein gravity coupled minimally to an anisotropic fluid representing dark matter can well represent supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei with realistic distribution of dark matter around the black hole, given by the Hernquist-like density distribution. For these fluid-hairy black hole spacetimes, properties of the gravitational radiation, quasinormal ringing, and optical phenomena were studied, giving interesting results. Here, using the range of physical parameters of these spacetimes allowing for their relevance in astrophysics, we study the epicyclic oscillatory motion of test particles in these spacetimes. The frequencies of the orbital and epicyclic motion are applied in the epicyclic resonance variant of the geodesic model of quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in active galactic nuclei to demonstrate the possibility to solve the cases where the standard vacuum black hole spacetimes are not allowing for explanation of the observed data. We demonstrate that the geodesic model can explain the QPOs observed in most of the active galactic nuclei for the fluid-hairy black holes with reasonable halo parameters.


2018 ◽  
Vol 614 ◽  
pp. A74 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Abellán ◽  
I. Martí-Vidal ◽  
J. M. Marcaide ◽  
J. C. Guirado

We have studied a complete radio sample of active galactic nuclei with the very-long-baseline-interferometry (VLBI) technique and for the first time successfully obtained high-precision phase-delay astrometry at Q band (43 GHz) from observations acquired in 2010. We have compared our astrometric results with those obtained with the same technique at U band (15 GHz) from data collected in 2000. The differences in source separations among all the source pairs observed in common at the two epochs are compatible at the 1σ level between U and Q bands. With the benefit of quasi-simultaneous U and Q band observations in 2010, we have studied chromatic effects (core-shift) at the radio source cores with three different methods. The magnitudes of the core-shifts are of the same order (about 0.1 mas) for all methods. However, some discrepancies arise in the orientation of the core-shifts determined through the different methods. In some cases these discrepancies are due to insufficient signal for the method used. In others, the discrepancies reflect assumptions of the methods and could be explained by curvatures in the jets and departures from conical jets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (1) ◽  
pp. 939-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilya N Pashchenko ◽  
Alexander V Plavin

ABSTRACTThe physical parameters of the jets of active galactic nuclei observed with Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) are usually inferred from core-shift measurements or from the flux and size measured at the peak frequency of the synchrotron spectrum. Both methods are preceded by modelling the observed VLBI jet structure with simple Gaussian templates. Here we infer the jet parameters using an inhomogeneous jet model directly, bypassing the modelling of the source structure with a Gaussian template or image deconvolution. We apply Bayesian analysis to multifrequency VLBA observations of radio galaxy NGC 315 and find that its parsec-scale jet is well described by an inhomogeneous conical model. Our results favour an electron–positron jet. We also detect a component as a part of a counter jet. Its position implies the presence of an external absorber with a steep density gradient close (r = 0.1 pc) to the central engine.


1989 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 525-528
Author(s):  
T. J. Pearson ◽  
A. C. S. Readhead

Very Long Baseline Interferometry at radio wavelengths is the only technique available for imaging the central few parsecs of powerful radio galaxies and quasars. VLBI observations have shown that in many nuclei radio-emitting material is collimated into a jet on a scale less than a parsec and ejected at relativistic velocities. The interpretation of the observations is complicated by the relativistic motion, however: the images are dominated by those parts of the source that are moving almost directly towards the observer, and thus amplified by relativistic aberration. Nonetheless, the VLBI images are vital for understanding the nature of the central engine, the cause of the collimation, and the physics of the jets.


1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. C. Wardle ◽  
D. H. Roberts

We present some first results of a program to map the distribution of linear polarization in compact radio sources with milliarcsecond resolution. We show first-epoch maps of 3C345 and 0735 + 178 and first- and second-epoch maps of OJ287. In general, the polarization is mainly associated with optically thin (jet) components. In the case of OJ287, polarization maps made 1 year apart are strikingly different. We also discuss some of the theoretical issues raised by these observations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. A68 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Frey ◽  
O. Titov ◽  
A. E. Melnikov ◽  
P. de Vicente ◽  
F. Shu

Context. Radio-loud active galactic nuclei in the early Universe are rare. The quasars J0906+6930 at redshift z = 5.47 and J2102+6015 at z = 4.57 stand out from the known sample with their compact emission on milliarcsecond (mas) angular scale with high (0.1 Jy level) flux densities measured at GHz radio frequencies. This makes them ideal targets for very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. Aims. By means of VLBI imaging we can reveal the inner radio structure of quasars and model their brightness distribution to better understand the geometry of the jet and the physics of the sources. Methods. We present sensitive high-resolution VLBI images of J0906+6930 and J2102+6015 at two observing frequencies, 2.3 and 8.6 GHz. The data were taken in an astrometric observing programme involving a global five-element radio telescope array. We combined the data from five different epochs from 2017 February to August. Results. For one of the highest redshift blazars known, J0906+6930, we present the first-ever VLBI image obtained at a frequency below 8 GHz. Based on our images at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz, we confirm that this source has a sharply bent helical inner jet structure within ∼3 mas from the core. The quasar J2102+6015 shows an elongated radio structure in the east–west direction within the innermost ∼2 mas that can be described with a symmetric three-component brightness distribution model at 8.6 GHz. Because of their non-pointlike mas-scale structure, these sources are not ideal as astrometric reference objects. Our results demonstrate that VLBI observing programmes conducted primarily with astrometric or geodetic goals can be utilized for astrophysical purposes as well.


2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise C. Gabuzda

AbstractVery long baseline interferometry (VLBI) polarisation measurements provide information about the parsec-scale magnetic field structures in compact active galactic nuclei (AGN), as well as the densities of relativistic and thermal electrons in the radio emitting regions. This paper reviews the role of polarisation VLBI in studies of AGN variability on both relatively long and short (intraday) timescales.


2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A102 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Blinov ◽  
C. Casadio ◽  
N. Mandarakas ◽  
E. Angelakis

Context. A number of works have reported that the polarization plane of extragalactic sources as well as the structural axes of radio sources are aligned on the large scale. However, both the claims and their interpretation remain controversial. Aims. For the first time, we explore the alignment of parsec-scale jets. Additionally, we use archival polarimetric data at different wavelengths in order to compare the relative orientations of the jets and the polarization planes of their emission. Methods. Using the flux density distribution in very long baseline interferometry radio maps from the Astrogeo database, we determine the parsec-scale jet orientation for the largest sample of active galactic nuclei to date. Employing the method of parallel transport and a sample statistics characterizing the jet orientation dispersion among neighbors, we test whether the identified jets are significantly aligned. Results. We show that the parsec-scale jets in our sample do not demonstrate any significant global alignments. Moreover, the jet direction is found to be weakly correlated with the direction of the polarization plane at different frequencies.


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