348 research outputs found
VLBA Polarization Observations of Markarian 421 After a Gamma-Ray High State
We present four high dynamic range, dual-circular polarization, Very Long
Baseline Array (VLBA) observations at 22 GHz of Markarian 421, taken throughout
the year following the source's unprecedented gamma-ray high state in early
2001. These four new VLBA observations are combined with data from our earlier
1999 paper and archival VLBA data-sets that have become available since 1999 to
produce a combined 28 epoch VLBA data-set on Mrk 421 spanning the years 1994 to
2002. No new component associated with the 2001 flares was seen on the total
intensity images, but the combined data-set allowed precise measurements of the
apparent speeds of the existing components. The peak measured apparent speed
was for component C5, which has an apparent speed of 0.1 +/- 0.02 c (H_0=71 km
s^{-1} Mpc^{-1}, Omega_m=0.27, and Omega_Lambda=0.73). No counterjet is seen
with a limit on the jet to counterjet brightness ratio J >~ 100. These observed
VLBI properties of Markarian 421 are consistent with a jet with a bulk Lorentz
factor of about 2 and an angle to the line-of-sight of about 1 degree,
suggesting a jet that decelerates between the gamma-ray producing region and
the parsec scale. The VLBI core and inner jet (component C7) have fractional
polarizations of about 5%, and an electric vector position angle (EVPA) aligned
with the jet axis. Component C5 (at 1.5 mas from the core) has a higher
fractional polarization of about 15%, and an EVPA nearly orthogonal to the jet
axis. Significant variability is detected in the EVPA of component C6, which at
two of the four epochs shows an EVPA aligned with the jet axis, possibly a sign
of propagating disturbances that are only visible on the polarization images.
If these propagating disturbances are linked to the 2001 gamma-ray high state,
then their inferred apparent speed is between 1 and 3 c.Comment: 11 pages, accepted to Ap
The Parsec-Scale Jets of the TeV Blazars H 1426+428, 1ES 1959+650, and PKS 2155-304: 2001-2004
We present Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of the TeV blazars H
1426+428, 1ES 1959+650, and PKS 2155-304 obtained during the years 2001 through
2004. We observed H 1426+428 at four epochs at 8 GHz, and found that its
parsec-scale structure consisted of a ~17 mJy core and a single ~3 mJy jet
component with an apparent speed of 2.09 +/- 0.53c. The blazar 1ES 1959+650 was
observed at three epochs at frequencies of 15 and 22 GHz. Spectral index
information from these dual-frequency observations was used to definitively
identify the core of the parsec-scale structure. PKS 2155-304 was observed at a
single epoch at 15 GHz with dual-circular polarization, and we present the
first VLBI polarimetry image of this source. For 1ES 1959+650 and PKS 2155-304,
the current observations are combined with the VLBA observations from our
earlier paper to yield improved apparent speed measurements for these sources
with greatly reduced measurement errors. The new apparent speed measured for
component C2 in 1ES 1959+650 is 0.00 +/- 0.04c (stationary), and the new
apparent speed measured for component C1 in PKS 2155-304 is 0.93 +/- 0.31c. We
combine the new apparent speed measurements from this paper with the apparent
speeds measured in TeV blazar jets from our earlier papers to form a current
set of apparent speed measurements in TeV HBLs. The mean peak apparent pattern
speed in the jets of the TeV HBLs is about 1c. We conclude the paper with a
detailed discussion of the interpretation of the collected VLBA data on TeV
blazars in the context of current theoretical models for the parsec-scale
structure of TeV blazar jets.Comment: 16 pages, Astrophysical Journal, in pres
The Jets of TeV Blazars at Higher Resolution: 43 GHz and Polarimetric VLBA Observations from 2005-2009
We present 23 new VLBA images of the six established TeV blazars Markarian 421, Markarian 501, H 1426+428, 1ES 1959+650, PKS 2155-304, and 1ES 2344+514, obtained from 2005 to 2009. Most images were obtained at 43 GHz, and they reveal the parsec-scale structures of three of these sources (1ES 1959+650, PKS 2155-304, and 1ES 2344+514) at factors of two to three higher resolution than has previously been attained. Most of the remaining images map the linear polarization structures at a lower frequency of 22 GHz. We discuss the transverse structures of the jets as revealed by the high-frequency and polarimetric imaging. The transverse structures include significant limb-brightening in Mrk 421, and spine-sheath structures in the electric vector position angle (EVPA) and fractional polarization distributions in Mrk 421, Mrk 501, and 1ES 1959+650. We use new measured component positions to update measured apparent jet speeds, in many cases significantly reducing the statistical error over previously published results. With the increased resolution at 43 GHz, we detect new components within 0.1-0.2 mas of the core in most of these sources. No motion is apparent in these new components over the time span of our observations, and we place upper limits on the apparent speeds of the components near the core of less than 2c. From those limits, we conclude that Gamma2 \u3c Gamma1^{1/2} at about 10^5 Schwarzschild radii, where Gamma1 and Gamma2 are the bulk Lorentz factors in the TeV-emitting and 43 GHz-emitting regions, respectively, assuming that their velocity vectors are aligned
The Doppler crisis in TeV blazars and its possible resolutions
Different observers have estimated drastically different bulk Lorentz factors and Doppler factors for the jets of the TeV blazars, depending on the method used. On the one hand, rapid variability at high energies on timescales of a few minutes and fits to the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) imply large Doppler factors approaching 100. On the other hand, jet morphologies, kinematics, and brightness temperatures measured from parsec-scale imaging with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) imply at most modest Doppler boosting. Such modest Doppler boosting is also suggested by unification arguments. This so-called Doppler crisis may indicate the presence of structured jets in these sources, with different regions of different Lorentz factors, for example, a fast spine and a slower layer. We discuss the constraints on such structured jet models from our latest observations of these sources with the VLBA
Parsec-scale Structure and Kinematics of Faint TeV HBLs
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 the first time show a superluminal tail to the apparent speed distribution for the TeV HBLs
Multi-epoch VLBA Imaging of 20 New TeV Blazars: Apparent Jet Speeds
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 high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (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 2σ) with no motion, and some of these components may be stationary patterns whose apparent speed does not relate to the underlying bulk flow speed. In addition, a superluminal tail to the apparent speed distribution of the TeV HBLs is detected for the first time, with eight components in seven sources having a 2σ lower limit on the apparent speed exceeding 1c. We combine the data from these 20 sources with an additional 18 sources from the literature to analyze the complete apparent speed distribution of all 38 TeV HBLs that have been studied with very long baseline interferometry at multiple epochs. The highest 2σ apparent speed lower limit considering all sources is 3.6c. This suggests that bulk Lorentz factors of up to about 4, but probably not much higher, exist in the parsec-scale radio-emitting regions of these sources, consistent with estimates obtained in the radio by other means such as brightness temperatures. This can be reconciled with the high Lorentz factors estimated from the high-energy data if the jet has velocity structures consisting of different emission regions with different Lorentz factors. In particular, we analyze the current apparent speed data for the TeV HBLs in the context of a model with a fast central spine and a slower outer layer
VLBI and space VLBI of TeV gamma-ray sources
We have commenced a program of VLBI observations of extra-galactic TeV sources and candidates. Our main result to date is that, despite the high inferred Doppler factors from higher energy observations, the jet components in Mrk 421 and Mrk 501 display sub-luminal motions
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