Search

We have carried out a Chandra X-ray and multifrequency radio Very Long Baseline Array study of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) TXS 0128+554, which is associated with the Fermi γ-ray source 4FGL J0131.2+5547. The AGN is unresolved in a target 19.3 ks Chandra image, and its spectrum is well fit by a simple absorbed power-law model, with no distinguishable spectral features. Its relatively soft X-ray spectrum compared to other compact symmetric objects (CSOs) may be indicative of a thermal emission component, for which we were able to obtain an upper temperature limit of kT = 0.08 keV. The compact radio morphology and measured advance speed of 0.32 c ± 0.07 c indicate a kinematic age of only 82 yr ± 17 yr, placing TXS 0128+554 among the youngest members of the CSO class. The lack of compact, inverted spectrum hotspots and an emission gap between the bright inner jet and outer radio lobe structure indicate that the jets have undergone episodic activity, and were relaunched a decade ago. The predicted γ-ray emission from the lobes, based on an inverse Compton-emitting cocoon model, is three orders of magnitude below the observed Fermi-LAT flux. A comparison to other Fermi-detected and non-Fermi-detected CSOs with redshift z < 0.1 indicates that the γ-ray emission likely originates in the inner jet/core region, and that nearby, recently launched AGN jets are primary candidates for detection by the Fermi-LAT instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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, ≲10-20 pc 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 10² pc, 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 .../Γ 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 ≲10 pc in the form of the non-radial motion and bending accelerations that tend to better align features with the inner jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present results from deep (~70 ks) Chandra/ACIS observations and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys F475W observations of two highly optically polarized quasars belonging to the MOJAVE blazar sample, viz., PKS B0106+013 and 1641+399 (3C 345). These observations reveal X-ray and optical emissions from the jets in both sources. X-ray emission is detected from the entire length of the 0106+013 radio jet, which shows clear bends or wiggles--the X-ray emission is brightest at the first prominent kiloparsec jet bend. A picture of a helical kiloparsec jet with the first kiloparsec-scale bend representing a jet segment moving close(r) to our line of sight, and getting Doppler boosted at both radio and X-ray frequencies, is consistent with these observations. The X-ray emission from the jet end, however, peaks at about 0...4 (~3.4 kpc) upstream of the radio hot spot. Optical emission is detected both at the X-ray jet termination peak and at the radio hot spot. The X-ray jet termination peak is found upstream of the radio hot spot by around 0...2 (~1.3 kpc) in the short projected jet of 3C 345. HST optical emission is seen in an arc-like structure coincident with the bright radio hot spot, which we propose is a sharp (apparent) jet bend instead of a terminal point, that crosses our line of sight and consequently has a higher Doppler beaming factor. A weak radio hot spot is indeed observed less than 1'' downstream of the bright radio hot spot, but has no optical or X-ray counterpart. By making use of the parsec-scale radio and the kiloparsec-scale radio/X-ray data, we derive constraints on the jet Lorentz factors (Γjet) and inclination angles (θ): for a constant jet speed from parsec to kiloparsec scales, we obtain a Γjet of ~70 for 0106+013 and ~40 for 3C 345. On relaxing this assumption, we derive a Γjet of ~2.5 for both the sources. Upper limits on θ of ~13° are obtained for the two quasars. Broadband (radio-optical-X-ray) spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling of individual jet components in both quasars suggests that the optical emission is from the synchrotron mechanism, while the X-rays are produced via the inverse Compton mechanism from relativistically boosted cosmic microwave background seed photons. The locations of the upstream X-ray termination peaks strongly suggest that the sites of bulk jet deceleration lie upstream (by a few kiloparsecs) of the radio hot spots in these quasars. These regions are also the sites of shocks or magnetic field dissipation, which reaccelerate charged particles and produce high-energy optical and X-ray photons. This is consistent with the best-fit SED modeling parameters of magnetic field strength and electron power-law indices being higher in the jet termination regions compared to the cores. The shocked jet regions upstream of the radio hot spots, the kiloparsec-scale jet wiggles and a "nose cone"-like jet structure in 0106+013, and the V-shaped radio structure in 3C 345, are all broadly consistent with instabilities associated with Poynting-flux-dominated jets. A greater theoretical understanding and more sensitive numerical simulations of jets spanning parsec to kiloparsec scales are needed, however, to make direct quantitative comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We re-examine the differences observed in the pc-scale magnetic field geometry of high and low optical polarization quasars (HPQs, LPRQs) using the MOJAVE sample. We find that, as previously reported, HPQ jets exhibit predominantly transverse B fields while LPRQ jets tend to display longitudinal B fields. We attempt to understand these results along with the different B field geometry observed in the low and high energy peaked BL Lacs (LBLs, HBLs) using a simple picture wherein the spinning central black holes in these AGNs influence the speed and strength of the jet components (spine, sheath). Higher spin rates in HPQs compared to LPRQs and in LBLs compared to HBLs could explain the different total radio powers, VLBI jet speeds, and the observed B field geometry in these AGN classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using stacking of images obtained at different epochs, we studied the variability properties of linear polarization of active galactic nucleus (AGN) jets on parsec-scales. Our sample is drawn from the MOJAVE programme, and consists of 436 AGNs manifesting core-jet morphology and having at least five VLBA observing epochs at 15 GHz from 1996 January through 2019 August, with some additional archival VLBA data reduced by us. We employed a stacking procedure and constructed maps of (i) standard deviation of fractional polarization and electric vector position angle (EVPA) over epochs as the measure of variability and (ii) median polarization degree to quantify typical values in time. The distributions of these values along and across the jet were analysed for the whole sample for the first time. We found that core EVPA variability is typically higher than that of the jet, presumably due to component blending and outflow bends in the core. The BL Lacertae object cores have lower EVPA variability, compared to that of quasars, possibly due to lower Faraday rotation measure, suggesting a stronger ordered magnetic field component. The EVPA becomes more stable down the jet. Most of the sources showing this trend have a time coverage of more than 12 yr and at least 15 epochs. The possible cause could be the increase of stability in the magnetic field direction, reflecting an increase in the fraction of the magnetic field that is ordered. There are no significant optical-class-dependent or spectral-class-dependent relations in the EVPA variability properties in AGN jets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the parsec-scale linear polarization properties of 436 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) based on 15 GHz polarimetric Very Long Baseline Array observations. We present polarization and total intensity images averaged over at least five epochs since 1996 January 19 through 2019 August 4. Stacking improves the image sensitivity down to ∼30 μJy beam−1 and effectively fills out the jet cross-section both in total intensity and linear polarization. It delineates the long-term persistent magnetic field configuration and its regularity by restoring spatial distributions of the electric vector position angle (EVPA) and fractional polarization, respectively. On average, about 10 yr of stacking period is needed to reveal the stable and most-complete polarization distribution of a source. We find that the degree of polarization significantly increases down and across the jet towards its edges, typically manifesting U or W-shaped transverse profiles, suggesting a presence of a large-scale helical magnetic field associated with the outflow. In some AGN jets, mainly BL Lacs, we detect quasi-constant fractional polarization profiles across the jet, accompanied by EVPAs that closely follow the outflow. BL Lacs show higher fractional polarization values in their cores and jets than those in quasars up to hectoparsec de-projected scales, while on larger scales, they become comparable. High-synchrotron-peaked BL Lac jets are found to be less polarized than intermediate and low-synchrotron-peaked BL Lacs. The spatial distribution of the EVPAs in BL Lacs tend to align with the local jet direction, while quasars show an excess of orthogonal polarization orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 15 GHz stacked VLBA images of 373 jets associated with active galactic nuclei (AGNs) having at least five observing epochs within a 20 yr time interval 1994-2015 from the Monitoring Of Jets in Active galactic nuclei with VLBA Experiments (MOJAVE) programme and/or its precursor, the 2-cm VLBA Survey. These data are supplemented by 1.4 GHz singleepoch 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 ofAGNs 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.°5 and 1.°3, respectively. The Fermi LAT-detected gamma-rayAGNs 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, evidence has started piling up that some high-energy cosmic neutrinos can be associated with blazars in flaring states. On 2022 February 26, a new blazar-neutrino coincidence was reported: the track-like neutrino event IC220225A detected by IceCube is spatially coincident with the flat-spectrum radio quasar PKS 0215+015. Like previous associations, this source was found to be in a high optical and γ -ray state. Moreover, the source showed a bright radio outburst, which substantially increases the probability of a true physical association. We have performed six observations with the VLBA shortly after the neutrino event with a monthly cadence and are monitoring the source with the Effelsberg 100m-Telescope, and with the Australia Compact Telescope Array. Here, we present first results on the contemporary parsec-scale jet structure of PKS 0215+015 in total intensity and polarization to constrain possible physical processes leading to neutrino emission in blazars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetric achromatic variability (SAV) is a rare form of radio variability in blazars that has been attributed to gravitational milli-lensing by a ∼102â€"105 M ⊙ mass condensate. Four SAVs have been identified between 1980 and 2020 in the long-term radio monitoring data of the blazar PKS 1413 + 135. We show that all four can be fitted with the same, unchanging, gravitational lens model. If SAV is due to gravitational milli-lensing, PKS 1413 + 135 provides a unique system for studying active galactic nuclei with unprecedented microarcsecond resolution, as well as for studying the nature of the milli-lens itself. We discuss two possible candidates for the putative milli-lens: a giant molecular cloud hosted in the intervening edge-on spiral galaxy, and an undetected dwarf galaxy with a massive black hole. We find a significant dependence of SAV crossing time on frequency, which could indicate a fast shock moving in a slower underlying flow. We also find tentative evidence for a 989 day periodicity in the SAVs, which, if real, makes possible the prediction of future SAVs: the next three windows for possible SAVs begin in 2022 August, 2025 May, and 2028 February. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the MOJAVE VLBA programme (Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA Experiments), we have accumulated observational data at 15 GHz for hundreds of jets in gamma-ray bright active galactic nuclei since the beginning of the Fermi scientific observations in 2008 August. We investigated a time delay between the flux density of AGN parsec-scale radio emission at 15 GHz and 0.1–300 GeV Fermi LAT photon flux, taken from constructed light curves using weekly and adaptive binning. The correlation analysis shows that radio is lagging gamma-ray radiation by up to 8 months in the observer's frame, while in the source frame, the typical delay is about 2–3 months. If the jet radio emission, excluding the opaque core, is considered, significant correlation is found at greater time lags. We supplement these results with VLBI kinematics and core shift data to conclude that the dominant high-energy production zone is typically located at a distance of several parsecs from the central nucleus. We also found that quasars have on average more significant correlation peak, more distant gamma-ray emission region from the central engine and shorter variability time-scale compared to those of BL Lacertae objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss results from a decade long program to study the fine-scale structure and the kinematics of relativistic AGN jets with the aim of better understanding the acceleration and collimation of the relativistic plasma forming AGN jets. From the observed distribution of brightness temperature, apparent velocity, flux density, time variability, and apparent luminosity, the intrinsic properties of the jets including Lorentz factor, luminosity, orientation, and brightness temperature are discussed. Special attention is given to the jet in M87, which has been studied over a wide range of wavelengths and which, due to its proximity, is observed with excellent spatial resolution. Most radio jets appear quite linear, but we also observe curved non-linear jets and non-radial motions. Sometimes, different features in a given jet appear to follow the same curved path but there is evidence for ballistic trajectories as well. The data are best fit with a distribution of Lorentz factors extending up to γ∼30 and intrinsic luminosity up to ∼1026 W Hz−1. In general, gamma-ray quasars may have somewhat larger Lorentz factors than non gamma-ray quasars. Initially the observed brightness temperature near the base of the jet extend up to ∼5×1013 K which is well in excess of the inverse Compton limit and corresponds to a large excess of particle energy over magnetic energy. However, more typically, the observed brightness temperatures are ∼2×1011 K, i.e., closer to equipartition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent studies, several active galactic nuclei (AGNs) 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 multiepoch observations at 5, 8, and 15 GHz in 2009–2010, we observe that the jet RM has changed significantly toward 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 αint = 2.°1 and magnetic field strength B∣∣ = 3 μG, and thermal particle density Ne = 125 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 in their apparent jet direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PKS 1413+135 is one of the most peculiar blazars known. Its strange properties led to the hypothesis almost four decades ago that it is gravitationally lensed by a mass concentration associated with an intervening galaxy. It exhibits symmetric achromatic variability, a rare form of variability that has been attributed to gravitational milli-lensing. It has been classified as a BL Lac object, and is one of the rare objects in this class with a visible counterjet. BL Lac objects have jet axes aligned close to the line of sight. It has also been classified as a compact symmetric object—objects that have jet axes not aligned close to the line of sight. Intensive efforts to understand this blazar have hitherto failed to resolve even the questions of the orientation of the relativistic jet and the host galaxy. Answering these two questions is important because they challenge our understanding of jets in active galactic nuclei and the classification schemes we use to describe them. We show that the jet axis is aligned close to the line of sight and PKS 1413+135 is almost certainly not located in the apparent host galaxy, but is a background object in the redshift range 0.247 < z < 0.5. The intervening spiral galaxy at z = 0.247 provides a natural host for the putative lens responsible for symmetric achromatic variability and is shown to be a Seyfert 2 galaxy. We also show that, as for the radio emission, a "multizone" model is needed to account for the high-energy emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational studies of collimation in jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are a key to understanding their formation and acceleration processes. We have performed an automated search for jet shape transitions in a sample of 367 AGN using VLBA data at 15 and 1.4 GHz. This search has found 10 out of 29 nearby jets at redshifts z  < 0.07 with a transition from a parabolic to conical shape, while the full analysed sample is dominated by distant AGN with a typical z  ≈ 1. The ten AGN are UGC 00773, NGC 1052, 3C 111, 3C 120, TXS 0815−094, Mrk 180, PKS 1514+00, NGC 6251, 3C 371, and BL Lac. We conclude that the geometry transition may be a common effect in AGN jets. It can be observed only when sufficient linear resolution is obtained. Supplementing these results with previously reported shape breaks in the nearby AGN 1H 0323+342 and M87, we estimate that the break occurs at 105–106 gravitational radii from the nucleus. We suggest that the jet shape transition happens when the bulk plasma kinetic energy flux becomes equal to the Poynting energy flux, while the ambient medium pressure is assumed to be governed by Bondi accretion. In general, the break point may not coincide with the Bondi radius. The observational data support our model predictions on the jet acceleration and properties of the break point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the discovery of high-energy (HE; E > 10 MeV) and very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emission from the low-frequency-peaked BL Lac (LBL) object AP Librae, its electromagnetic spectrum is studied over 60 octaves in energy. Contemporaneous data in radio, optical and UV together with the (non-simultaneous) γ-ray data are used to construct the most precise spectral energy distribution of this source. The data have been found to be modelled with difficulties with single-zone homogeneous leptonic synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) radiative scenarios due to the unprecedented width of the HE component when compared to the lower-energy component. The two other LBL objects also detected at VHE appear to have similar modelling difficulties. Nevertheless, VHE γ-rays produced in the extended jet could account for the VHE flux observed by HESS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flat-spectrum radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) are a recently discovered class of -ray emitting active galactic nuclei (AGN), that exhibit some blazar-like properties which are explained with the presence of a relativistic jet viewed at small angles. When blazars are observed at larger angles they appear as radio-galaxies, and we expect to observe an analogue parent population for beamed NLS1s. However, the number of known NLS1s with the jet viewed at large angles is not enough. Therefore, we tried to understand the origin of this deficit. Current hypotheses about the nature of parent sources are steep-spectrum radio-loud NLS1s, radio-quiet NLS1s and disk-hosted radio-galaxies. To test these hypotheses we built three samples of candidate sources plus a control sample, and calculated their black hole mass and Eddington ratio using their optical spectra. We then performed a Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical test to investigate the compatibility of our different samples with a beamed population. Our results indicate that, when the inclination angle increases, a beamed source appears as a steep-spectrum radio-loud NLS1, or possibly even as a disk-hosted radiogalaxy with low black hole mass and high Eddington ratio. Further investigations, involving larger complete samples and observations at radio frequency, are needed to understand the incidence of disk-hosted radio-galaxies in the parent population, and to assess whether radio-quiet NLS1s can play a role, as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have conducted a multiwavelength survey of 42 radio loud narrow-1ine Seyfert 1 galaxies (RLNLS1s), selected by searching among all the known sources of this type and omitting those with steep radio spectra. We analyse data from radio frequencies to X-rays, and supplement these with information available from online catalogues and the literature in order to cover the full electromagnetic spectrum. This is the largest known multiwavelength survey for this type of source. We detected 90% of the sources in X-rays and found 17% at γ rays. Extreme variability at high energies was also found, down to timescales as short as hours. In some sources, dramatic spectral and flux changes suggest interplay between a relativistic jet and the accretion disk. The estimated masses of the central black holes are in the range ~106-8 M⊙, lower than those of blazars, while the accretion luminosities span a range from ~0.01 to ~0.49 times the Eddington limit, with an outlier at 0.003, similar to those of quasars. The distribution of the calculated jet power spans a range from ~1042.6 to ~1045.6 erg s-1, generally lower than quasars and BL Lac objects, but partially overlapping with the latter. Once normalised by the mass of the central black holes, the jet power of the three types of active galactic nuclei are consistent with each other, indicating that the jets are similar and the observational differences are due to scaling factors. Despite the observational differences, the central engine of RLNLS1s is apparently quite similar to that of blazars. The historical difficulties in finding radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies might be due to their low power and to intermittent jet activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations can resolve the radio structure of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and provide estimates of the structural and kinematic characteristics on parsec-scales in their jets. The changes in the kinematics of the observed jet features can be used to study the physical conditions in the innermost regions of these sources. We performed multifrequency multiepoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of the blazar CTA102 during its 2006 radio flare, the strongest ever reported for this source. These observations provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the evolution of the physical properties of blazars, especially during these flaring events Aims. We want to study the kinematic changes in the source during the strong radio outburst in April 2006 and test the assumption of a shock-shock interaction. This assumption is based on the analysis and modeling of the single-dish observations of CTA102 (Paper I). Methods. In this paper we study the kinematics of CTA102 at several frequencies using VLBI observations. From the modeled jet features we derived estimates for the evolution of the physical parameters, such as the particle density and the magnetic field. Furthermore, we combined our observations during the 2006 flare with long-term VLBA monitoring of the source at 15GHz and 43 GHz. Results. We cross-identified seven features throughout our entire multifrequency observations and find evidence of two possible recollimation shocks around 0.1mas (deprojected 18 pc at a viewing angle ϑ = 2.6°) and 6.0mas (deprojected 1 kpc) from the core. The 43 GHz observations reveal a feature ejected at epoch tej = 2005.9 ± 0.2, which could be connected to the 2006 April radio flare. Furthermore, this feature might be associated with the traveling component involved in the possible shock-shock interaction, which gives rise to the observed double peak structure in the single-dish light curves reported in Paper I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present more than three years of observations at different frequencies, from radio to high-energy γ-rays, of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) Galaxy PMN J0948+0022 (z = 0.585). This source is the first NLS1 detected at energies above 100 MeV and therefore can be considered the prototype of this emerging new class of γ-ray emitting active galactic nuclei (AGN). The observations performed from 2008 August 1 to 2011 December 31 confirmed that PMN J0948+0022 generates a powerful relativistic jet, which is able to develop an isotropic luminosity at γ-rays of the order of 1048 erg s-1, at the level of powerful quasars. The evolution of the radiation emission of this source in 2009 and 2010 followed the canonical expectations of relativistic jets with correlated multiwavelength variability (γ-rays followed by radio emission after a few months), but it was difficult to retrieve a similar pattern in the light curves of 2011. The comparison of γ-ray spectra before and including 2011 data suggested that there was a softening of the highenergy spectral slope. We selected five specific epochs to be studied by modelling the broad-band spectrum, which are characterised by an outburst at γ-rays or very low/high flux at other wavelengths. The observed variability can largely be explained by changes in the injected power, the bulk Lorentz factor of the jet, or the electron spectrum. The characteristic time scale of doubling/halving flux ranges from a few days to a few months, depending on the frequency and the sampling rate. The shortest doubling time scale at γ-rays is 2.3 ± 0.5 days. These small values underline the need of highly sampled multiwavelength campaigns to better understand the physics of these sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We have investigated a frequency-dependent shift in the absolute position of the optically thick apparent origin of parsec-scale jets ("core shift" effect) to probe physical conditions in ultra-compact relativistic outflows in active galactic nuclei. Methods. We used multi-frequency Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of 191 sources carried out in 12 epochs in 2006 within the Monitoring Of Jets in Active galactic nuclei with VLBA Experiments (MOJAVE) program. The observations were performed at 8.1, 8.4, 12.1, and 15.4 GHz. We implemented a method of determining the core shift vector based on (i) image registration by two-dimensional normalized cross-correlation and (ii) model-fitting the source brightness distribution to take into account a non-zero core component offset from the phase center. Results. The 15.4−8.1, 15.4−8.4, and 15.4−12.1 GHz core shift vectors are derived for 163 sources, and have median values of 128, 125, and 88 μas, respectively, compared to the typical measured errors of 50, 51, 35 μas. The effect occurs predominantly along the jet direction, with departures smaller than 45° from the median jet position angle in over 80% of the cases. Despite the moderate ratio of the observed frequencies (<2), core shifts significantly different from zero (>2σ) are detected for about 55% of the sources. These shifts are even better aligned with the jet direction, deviating from the latter by less than 30° in over 90% of the cases. There is an indication that the core shift decreases with increasing redshift. Magnetic fields in the jet at a distance of 1 parsec from the central black hole, calculated from the obtained core shifts, are found to be systematically stronger in quasars (median B1 ≈ 0.9 G) than those in BL Lacs (median B1 ≈ 0.4 G). We also constrained the absolute distance of the core from the apex of the jet at 15 GHz as well as the magnetic field strength in the 15 GHz core region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We use a sample of 83 core-dominated active galactic nuclei (AGN) selected from the MOJAVE (Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA Experiments) radio-flux-limited sample and detected with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) to study the relations between non-simultaneous radio, optical, and γ-ray measurements. Methods. We perform a multi-band statistical analysis to investigate the relations between the emissions in different bands and reproduce these relations by modeling of the spectral energy distributions of blazars. Results. There is a significant correlation between the γ-ray luminosity and the optical nuclear and radio (15 GHz) luminosities of blazars. We report a well defined positive correlation between the γ-ray luminosity and the radio-optical loudness for quasars and BL Lacertae type objects (BL Lacs). A strong positive correlation is found between the radio luminosity and the γ-ray-optical loudness for quasars, while a negative correlation between the optical luminosity and the γ-ray-radio loudness is present for BL Lacs. Modeling of these correlations with a simple leptonic jet model for blazars indicates that variations of the accretion disk luminosity (and hence the jet power) is able to reproduce the trends observed in most of the correlations. To reproduce all observed correlations, variations of several parameters, such as the accretion power, jet viewing angle, Lorentz factor, and magnetic field of the jet, are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a multiwavelength campaign for the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy PMN J09480022 () performed in 2010 July-September and triggered by a high-energy -ray outburst observed by the Large Area Telescope onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The peak flux in the 0.1-100 GeV energy band exceeded, for the first time in this type of source, the value of photon cm s, corresponding to an observed luminosity of erg s. Although the source was too close to the Sun position to organize a densely sampled follow-up, it was possible to gather some multiwavelength data that confirmed the state of high activity across the sampled electromagnetic spectrum. The comparison of the spectral energy distribution of the NLS1 PMN J09480022 with that of a typical blazar - such as 3C 273 - shows that the power emitted at -rays is extreme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We present the results of a multiwavelength campaign during which BL Lac was observed at 17 regular epochs from 1998.23 to 2001.28. We used the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in an observing mode sensitive to linear polarization at wavelength 7 mm with a resolution of the order of 0.2 mas. For the first time such observations were complemented by near-simultaneous polarization-sensitive James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) observations at a wavelength close to 1 mm. Optical polarimetry was also obtained for the final year of observations. The VLBA images reveal a remarkable oscillating ‘nozzle’ structure with a period of ∼2 yr. The orientation of the nozzle tracks the polarization position angle measured at the JCMT, in which we detect a very similar period. We argue that these results require the same jet direction at the small scale probed by the 1-mm emission as at the larger scale probed by the 7-mm emission; there is no evidence to suggest wiggling of the jet between these scales. The picture that emerges is of a straight but precessing jet where the components form a straight line near the core, but form an apparently curved locus at larger separations where components were ejected in different directions. Two further lines of evidence support this view. First, tracing the evolution of bright components showed straight paths and ejection angles consistent with the nozzle direction at the ejection time. Secondly, a simple model of a precessing nozzle was used to predict the inner jet structure. At most epochs the agreement between the model and data was good. On angular scales >2 mas from the core a transition occurs and most components bend to follow the usual southeasterly direction on deca-milliarcsecond scales. This precession is clearly analogous to that found in the galactic jet source SS 433 albeit with a higher jet speed and a smaller precession cone opening angle. The precession observed in SS 433 is believed to be caused by the interaction of a companion star with the accretion disc around the compact object. This suggests the possibility that the black hole from which the jet from BL Lac emerges is part of a binary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Mojave: Monitoring of Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei With VLBA Experiments. VII. Blazar Jet Acceleration" that was published in the 2009, 706, 1253 issue is presented.

Parsec-scale VLBA images of BL Lac at 15 GHz show that the jet contains a permanent quasi-stationary emission feature 0.26 mas (0.34 pc projected) from the core, along with numerous moving features. In projection, the tracks of the moving features cluster around an axis at a position angle of –166.°6 that connects the core with the standing feature. The moving features appear to emanate from the standing feature in a manner strikingly similar to the results of numerical two-dimensional relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations in which moving shocks are generated at a recollimation shock (RCS). Because of this, and the close analogy to the jet feature HST-1 in M87, we identify the standing feature in BL Lac as an RCS. We assume that the magnetic field dominates the dynamics in the jet, and that the field is predominantly toroidal. From this we suggest that the moving features are compressions established by slow and fast mode magneto-acoustic MHD waves. We illustrate the situation with a simple model in which the slowest moving feature is a slow-mode wave, and the fastest feature is a fast-mode wave. In the model, the beam has Lorentz factor in the frame of the host galaxy and the fast mode wave has Lorentz factor in the frame of the beam. This gives a maximum apparent speed for the moving features, βapp = vapp/c = 10. In this model the Lorentz factor of the pattern in the galaxy frame is approximately three times larger than that of the beam itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]