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Title: VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE IN Mrk 231: INTERACTION BETWEEN A RELATIVISTIC JET AND A BAL WIND

Abstract

We report on the first high-frequency very long baseline interferometry observations of the nearby broad absorption line quasar, Mrk 231. Three epochs of observations were achieved at 15 GHz and 22 GHz, two of these included 43 GHz observations as well. The nuclear radio source is resolved as a compact double. The core component experienced a strong flare in which the flux density at 22 GHz increased by >150% (45 mJy) in three months. Theoretical models of the flare imply that the emission is likely enhanced by very strong Doppler boosting of a highly relativistic ejecta with a kinetic energy flux, Q approx 3 x 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1}. Combining our data with two previous epochs of 15 GHz data shows marginal evidence for the slow advance of the secondary component (located approx0.97 pc from the core) over a 9.4 year span. We estimate that the long-term time averaged kinetic energy flux of the secondary at Q-barapprox1-{sup 42} erg s{sup -1}. Low-frequency very long baseline array observations indicate that the secondary is seen through a shroud of free-free absorbing gas with an emission measure of approx10{sup 8} cm{sup -6}. The steep spectrum secondary component appears to be a compactmore » radio lobe that is associated with a working surface between the ram pressure confined jet and a dense medium that is likely to be the source of the free-free absorption. The properties of the dense gas are consistent with the temperatures, displacement from the nucleus, and the column density of total hydrogen commonly associated with the BAL wind.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]; ;  [3];  [4]
  1. ICRAR-Curtin University of Technology, Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6102 (Australia)
  2. 4014 Emerald Street No.116, Torrance, CA 90503 (United States)
  3. Department of Physics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States)
  4. NRAO, Socorro, NM 87801-0387 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21378127
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 706; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/851; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ABSORPTION; ACCRETION DISKS; BLACK HOLES; FLUX DENSITY; GALAXIES; GHZ RANGE 01-100; HYDROGEN; INTERFEROMETRY; KINETIC ENERGY; QUASARS; RELATIVISTIC RANGE; COSMIC RADIO SOURCES; ELEMENTS; ENERGY; ENERGY RANGE; FREQUENCY RANGE; GHZ RANGE; NONMETALS; SORPTION

Citation Formats

Reynolds, Cormac, Punsly, Brian, Kharb, Preeti, O'Dea, Christopher P, and Wrobel, Joan. VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE IN Mrk 231: INTERACTION BETWEEN A RELATIVISTIC JET AND A BAL WIND. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/851.
Reynolds, Cormac, Punsly, Brian, Kharb, Preeti, O'Dea, Christopher P, & Wrobel, Joan. VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE IN Mrk 231: INTERACTION BETWEEN A RELATIVISTIC JET AND A BAL WIND. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/851
Reynolds, Cormac, Punsly, Brian, Kharb, Preeti, O'Dea, Christopher P, and Wrobel, Joan. 2009. "VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE IN Mrk 231: INTERACTION BETWEEN A RELATIVISTIC JET AND A BAL WIND". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/851.
@article{osti_21378127,
title = {VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE IN Mrk 231: INTERACTION BETWEEN A RELATIVISTIC JET AND A BAL WIND},
author = {Reynolds, Cormac and Punsly, Brian and Kharb, Preeti and O'Dea, Christopher P and Wrobel, Joan},
abstractNote = {We report on the first high-frequency very long baseline interferometry observations of the nearby broad absorption line quasar, Mrk 231. Three epochs of observations were achieved at 15 GHz and 22 GHz, two of these included 43 GHz observations as well. The nuclear radio source is resolved as a compact double. The core component experienced a strong flare in which the flux density at 22 GHz increased by >150% (45 mJy) in three months. Theoretical models of the flare imply that the emission is likely enhanced by very strong Doppler boosting of a highly relativistic ejecta with a kinetic energy flux, Q approx 3 x 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1}. Combining our data with two previous epochs of 15 GHz data shows marginal evidence for the slow advance of the secondary component (located approx0.97 pc from the core) over a 9.4 year span. We estimate that the long-term time averaged kinetic energy flux of the secondary at Q-barapprox1-{sup 42} erg s{sup -1}. Low-frequency very long baseline array observations indicate that the secondary is seen through a shroud of free-free absorbing gas with an emission measure of approx10{sup 8} cm{sup -6}. The steep spectrum secondary component appears to be a compact radio lobe that is associated with a working surface between the ram pressure confined jet and a dense medium that is likely to be the source of the free-free absorption. The properties of the dense gas are consistent with the temperatures, displacement from the nucleus, and the column density of total hydrogen commonly associated with the BAL wind.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/851},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21378127}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 706,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2009},
month = {Fri Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2009}
}