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Register a new userThe Speed and Orientation of the Parsec-Scale Jet in 3C 279
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Authors
B. Glenn Piner
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We have calculated inverse-Compton Doppler factors for 3C 279 using the collection of VLBI data recently published by us, and the collection of multiwavelength spectra recently published by Hartman et al. From the Doppler factor and superluminal apparent speed, we then calculate the Lorentz factor and angle to the line-of-sight of the parsec-scale relativistic jet. We model the jet components as homogeneous spheres and the VLBI core as an unresolved inhomogeneous conical jet. The conical-jet model can be made to match both the observed X-ray emission and the VLBI properties of the core with a suitable choice of Doppler factor, implying the core makes a significant contribution to the X-ray emission. The parameters of the conical models indicate the jet is particle dominated at the radii that produce significant emission, and is not in equipartition. At the inner radius of the conical jet the magnetic field is of order 0.1 G and the relativistic-particle number density is of order 10 cm^{-3}. When all components are included in the calculation, then on average the core produces about half of the X-rays, with the other half being split between the long-lived component C4 and the brightest inner-jet component. We calculate an average speed and angle to the line-of-sight for the region of the jet interior to 1 mas of v=0.992c (gamma=8) and 4 degrees, and an average speed and angle to the line-of-sight for C4 (at a distance from the core of 3 mas) of v=0.997c (gamma=13) and 2 degrees. These values imply average Doppler factors of delta=12 for the inner jet, and delta=21 for C4.
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We use a combination of high-resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) radio and multi-wavelength flux density and polarization observations to constrain the physics of the dissipation mechanism powering the broadband flares in 3C 279 during an episode of extreme flaring activity in 2013-2014. Six bright flares superimposed on a long-term outburst are detected at $gamma$-ray energies. Four of the flares have optical and radio counterparts. The two modes of flaring activity (faster flares sitting on top of a long term outburst) present at radio, optical, $gamma$-ray frequencies are missing in X-rays. X-ray counterparts are only observed for two flares. The first three flares are accompanied by ejection of a new VLBI component (NC2) suggesting the 43 GHz VLBI core as the site of energy dissipation. Another new component, NC3, is ejected after the last three flares, which suggests that the emission is produced upstream from the core (closer to the black hole). The study therefore indicates multiple sites of energy dissipation in the source. An anti-correlation is detected between the optical percentage polarization (PP) and optical/$gamma$-ray flux variations, while the PP has a positive correlation with optical/$gamma$-rays spectral indices. Given that the mean polarization is inversely proportional to the number of cells in the emission region, the PP vs. optical/$gamma$-ray anti-correlation could be due to more active cells during the outburst than at other times. In addition to the turbulent component, our analysis suggests the presence of a combined turbulent and ordered magnetic field, with the ordered component transverse to the jet axis.
The quasar 3C~286 is one of two compact steep spectrum sources detected by the {it Fermi}/LAT. Here, we investigate the radio properties of the parsec(pc)-scale jet and its (possible) association with the $gamma$-ray emission in 3C~286. The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) images at various frequencies reveal a one-sided core--jet structure extending to the southwest at a projected distance of $sim$1 kpc. The component at the jet base showing an inverted spectrum is identified as the core, with a mean brightness temperature of $2.8times 10^{9}$~K. The jet bends at about 600 pc (in projection) away from the core, from a position angle of $-135^circ$ to $-115^circ$. Based on the available VLBI data, we inferred the proper motion speed of the inner jet as $0.013 pm 0.011$ mas yr$^{-1}$ ($beta_{rm app} = 0.6 pm 0.5$), corresponding to a jet speed of about $0.5,c$ at an inclination angle of $48^circ$ between the jet and the line of sight of the observer. The brightness temperature, jet speed and Lorentz factor are much lower than those of $gamma$-ray-emitting blazars, implying that the pc-scale jet in 3C~286 is mildly relativistic. Unlike blazars in which $gamma$-ray emission is in general thought to originate from the beamed innermost jet, the location and mechanism of $gamma$-ray emission in 3C~286 may be different as indicated by the current radio data. Multi-band spectrum fitting may offer a complementary diagnostic clue of the $gamma$-ray production mechanism in this source.
The high redshift GPS quasar PKS 0858-279 exhibits the following properties which make the source unusual. Our RATAN-600 monitoring of 1-22 GHz spectrum has detected broad-band radio variability with high amplitude and relatively short time scale. In the same time, the milliarcsecond scale structure observed in a snapshot VLBA survey turned out to be very resolved which is not expected from the fast flux density variations. We performed 1.4-22 GHz VLBA observations of this quasar in 2005-2007. It has revealed a core-jet morphology. A high Doppler factor delta is suggested for the jet, its nature is discussed in this report on the basis of the multi-frequency VLBA and RATAN data collected. Synchrotron self-absorption was confirmed to be dominating at low frequencies, the magnetic field strength of the dominating jet feature is estimated of an order of 0.1*delta mG.
We describe the parsec-scale kinematics of 200 AGN jets based on 15 GHz VLBA data obtained between 1994 Aug 31 and 2011 May 1. We present new VLBA 15 GHz images of these and 59 additional AGN from the MOJAVE and 2 cm Survey programs. Nearly all of the 60 most heavily observed jets show significant changes in their innermost position angle over a 12 to 16 year interval, ranging from 10 deg to 150 deg on the sky, corresponding to intrinsic variations of ~0.5 deg to ~2 deg. The BL Lac jets show smaller variations than quasars. Roughly half of the heavily observed jets show systematic position angle trends with time, and 20 show indications of oscillatory behavior. The time spans of the data sets are too short compared to the fitted periods (5 to 12 y), however, to reliably establish periodicity. The rapid changes and large jumps in position angle seen in many cases suggest that the superluminal AGN jet features occupy only a portion of the entire jet cross section, and may be energized portions of thin instability structures within the jet. We have derived vector proper motions for 887 moving features in 200 jets having at least five VLBA epochs. For 557 well-sampled features, there are sufficient data to additionally study possible accelerations. We find that the moving features are generally non-ballistic, with 70% of the well-sampled features showing either significant accelerations or non-radial motions. Inward motions are rare (2% of all features), are slow (<0.1 mas per y), are more prevalent in BL Lac jets, and are typically found within 1 mas of the unresolved core feature. There is a general trend of increasing apparent speed with distance down the jet for both radio galaxies and BL Lac objects. In most jets, the speeds of the features cluster around a characteristic value, yet there is a considerable dispersion in the distribution. (abridged)
In recent studies, several AGN have exhibited gradients of the Faraday Rotation Measure (RM) transverse to their parsec-scale jet direction. Faraday rotation likely occurs as a result of a magnetized sheath wrapped around the jet. In the case of 3C 273, using Very Long Baseline Array multi-epoch observations at 5, 8 and 15 GHz in 2009--2010, we observe that the jet RM has changed significantly towards negative values compared with that previously observed. These changes could be explained by a swing of the parsec-scale jet direction which causes synchrotron emission to pass through different portions of the Faraday screen. We develop a model for the jet-sheath system in 3C 273 where the sheath is wider than the single-epoch narrow relativistic jet. We present our oversized sheath model together with a derived wide jet full intrinsic opening angle $alpha_mathrm{int}=2.1^circ$ and magnetic field strength $B_{||}=3$ $mu$G and thermal particle density $N_mathrm{e}=125~mathrm{cm}^{-3}$ at the wide jet--sheath boundary 230 pc downstream (deprojected) from its beginning. Most of the Faraday rotation occurs within the innermost layers of the sheath. The model brings together the jet direction swing and long-term RM evolution and may be applicable to other AGN jets that exhibit changes of their apparent jet direction.
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