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Register a new userMOJAVE XIX: Brightness Temperatures and Intrinsic Properties of Blazar Jets
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We present multi-epoch, parsec-scale core brightness temperature observations of 447 AGN jets from the MOJAVE and 2cm Survey programs at 15 GHz from 1994 to 2019. The brightness temperature of each jet over time is characterized by its median value and variability. We find that the range of median brightness temperatures for AGN jets in our sample is much larger than the variations within individual jets, consistent with Doppler boosting being the primary difference between the brightness temperatures of jets in their median state. We combine the observed median brightness temperatures with apparent jet speed measurements to find the typical intrinsic Gaussian brightness temperature of (4.1 +- 0.6)*10^10 K, suggesting that jet cores are at or below equipartition between particle and magnetic field energy in their median state. We use this value to derive estimates for the Doppler factor for every source in our sample. For the 309 jets with both apparent speed and brightness temperature data, we estimate their Lorentz factors and viewing angles to the line of sight. Within the BL Lac optical class, we find that high-synchrotron-peaked (HSP) BL Lacs have smaller Doppler factors, lower Lorentz factors, and larger angles to the line of sight than intermediate and low-synchrotron-peaked (LSP) BL Lacs. We confirm that AGN jets with larger Doppler factors measured in their parsec-scale radio cores are more likely to be detected in gamma rays, and we find a strong correlation between gamma-ray luminosity and Doppler factor for the detected sources.
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We report on the acceleration properties of 329 features in 95 blazar jets from the MOJAVE VLBA program. Nearly half the features and three-quarters of the jets show significant changes in speed and/or direction. In general, apparent speed changes are distinctly larger than changes in direction, indicating that changes in the Lorentz factors of jet features dominate the observed speed changes rather than bends along the line of sight. Observed accelerations tend to increase the speed of features near the jet base, $lesssim 10-20$ parsecs projected, and decrease their speed at longer distances. The range of apparent speeds at fixed distance in an individual jet can span a factor of a few, indicating that shock properties and geometry may influence the apparent motions; however, we suggest that the broad trend of jet features increasing their speed near the origin is due to an overall acceleration of the jet flow out to de-projected distances of order $10^2$ parsecs, beyond which the flow begins to decelerate or remains nearly constant in speed. We estimate intrinsic rates of change of the Lorentz factors in the galaxy frame of order $dot{Gamma}/Gamma simeq 10^{-3}$ to $10^{-2}$ per year which can lead to total Lorentz factor changes of a factor of a few on the length scales observed here. Finally, we also find evidence for jet collimation at projected distances of $lesssim 10$ parsecs in the form of the non-radial motion and bending accelerations that tend to better align features with the inner jet.
We present a new method for studying the intrinsic brightness temperatures of the parsec-scale jet cores of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Our method uses observed superluminal motions and observed brightness temperatures for a large sample of AGN to constrain the characteristic intrinsic brightness temperature of the sample as a whole. To study changes in intrinsic brightness temperature, we assume that the Doppler factors of individual jets are constant in time as justified by their relatively small changes in observed flux density. We find that in their median-low brightness temperature state, the sources in our sample have a narrow range of intrinsic brightness temperatures centered on a characteristic temperature, T_int = 3 x 10^10 K, which is close to the value expected for equipartition, when the energy in the radiating particles equals the energy stored in the magnetic fields. However, in their maximum brightness state, we find that sources in our sample have a characteristic intrinsic brightness temperature greater than 2 x 10^11 K, which is well in excess of the equipartition temperature. In this state, we estimate the energy in radiating particles exceeds the energy in the magnetic field by a factor of ~ 10^5. We suggest that the excess of particle energy when sources are in their maximum brightness state is due to injection or acceleration of particles at the base of the jet. Our results suggest that the common method of estimating jet Doppler factors by using a single measurement of observed brightness temperature and/or the assumption of equipartition may lead to large scatter or systematic errors in the derived values.
We present 15 GHz stacked VLBA images of 373 jets associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN) having at least five observing epochs within a 20 yr time interval 1994-2015 from the MOJAVE programme and/or its precursor, the 2 cm VLBA Survey. These data are supplemented by 1.4 GHz single-epoch VLBA observations of 135 MOJAVE AGNs to probe larger scale jet structures. The typical jet geometry is found to be close to conical on scales from hundreds to thousands of parsecs, while a number of galaxies show quasi-parabolic streamlines on smaller scales. A true jet geometry in a considerable fraction of AGNs appears only after stacking epochs over several years. The jets with significant radial accelerated motion undergo more active collimation. We have analysed total intensity jet profiles transverse to the local jet ridgeline and derived both apparent and intrinsic opening angles of the flows, with medians of $21.5deg$ and $1.3deg$, respectively. The Fermi LAT-detected gamma-ray AGNs in our sample have, on average, wider apparent and narrower intrinsic opening angle, and smaller viewing angle than non LAT-detected AGNs. We have established a highly significant correlation between the apparent opening angle and gamma-ray luminosity, driven by Doppler beaming and projection effects.
In this paper we propose a way to use optical polarisation observations to provide independent constraints and guide to the modelling of the spectral energy distribution (SED) of blazars, which is particularly useful when two-zone models are required to fit the observed SED. As an example, we apply the method to the 2008 multiwavelength campaign of PKS 2155-304, for which the required polarisation information was already available. We find this approach succesful in being able to simultaneously describe the SED and variability of the source, otherwise difficult to interpret. More generally, by using polarisation data to disentangle different active regions within the source, the method reveals otherwise unseen correlations in the multiwavelength behaviour which are key for the SED modelling.
Flaring activity in blazars can last for vastly different time-scales, and may be the result of density enhancements in the jet flow that result from the intrusion of an interstellar cloud into the jet. We investigate the lightcurves expected from the ablation of gas clouds by the blazar jet under various cloud and jet configurations. We derive the semi-analytical formulae describing the ablation process of a hydrostatic cloud, and perform parameter scans of artificial set-ups over both cloud and jet parameter spaces. We then use parameters obtained from measurements of various cloud types to produce lightcurves of these cloud examples. The parameter scans show that a vast zoo of symmetrical lightcurves can be realized. Both cloud and emission region parameters significantly influence the duration, and strength of the flare. The scale height of the cloud is one of the most important parameters, as it determines the shape of the lightcurve. In turn, important cloud parameters can be deduced from the observed shape of a flare. The example clouds result in significant flares lasting for various time scales.
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