Radio morphology of 3C 120 on scales from 0. 5 parsecs to 400 kiloparsecs

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165225· OSTI ID:6209364

Walker, R C; Benson, J M; Unwin, S C

VLA observations of the radio source 3C 120 on scales from 0.1 arcsec to over 14 arcmin were made, and the resulting maps are presented and discussed. The radio emission shows structure on all scales from less than a pc to greater than 400 kpc. A continuously connected jet is visible from less than a parsec from the central engine to over 100 kpc, well outside the galaxy. There is a lobe in the counterjet direction and diffuse emission in several directions. The three-dimensional morphology is not clear but might resemble some of the large double or wide-angle head-tail sources seen along the axis of the jet. The polarization observations imply a longitudinal magnetic field throughout nearly all of the jet. The brightness of the jet decreases following a simple power law with width, implying that the physical parameters also follow simple power laws. These results are interpreted in the context of the incoherent synchrotron model for radio emission. 60 references.

• Research Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, NM; National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA; Owens Valley Radio Observatory, Pasadena, CA
• OSTI ID: 6209364
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 316; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BRIGHTNESS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXPANSION
GALAXIES
INTERFEROMETRY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA JETS
POLARIZATION
RADIATIONS
RADIO GALAXIES
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SEYFERT GALAXIES