Active galactic nuclei imaging programs of the RadioAstron mission

DOI: 
10.1016/j.asr.2019.03.044
Publication date: 
09/01/2020
Main author: 
Bruni G.
IAA authors: 
Gómez, J.L.
Authors: 
Bruni G., Savolainen T., Gómez J.L., Lobanov A.P., Kovalev Y.Y., On behalf of the RadioAstron AGN imaging KSP teams
Journal: 
Advances in Space Research
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
65.0
Pages: 
712-719
Abstract: 
Imaging relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) at angular resolution significantly surpassing that of the ground-based VLBI at centimetre wavelengths is one of the key science objectives of the RadioAstron space-VLBI mission. There are three RadioAstron imaging key science programs that target both nearby radio galaxies and blazars, with one of the programs specifically focusing on polarimetry of the jets. The first images from these programs reach angular resolution of a few tens of microarcseconds and reveal unprecedented details about the jet collimation profile, magnetic field configuration, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities along the flow in some of the most studied AGN (3C 84, BL Lac, 3C 273, S5 0836 + 710). Here we give an overview of the goals and strategy of these three ongoing programs, highlight their early results, and discuss the challenges of space-VLBI imaging. © 2019 COSPAR
Database: 
SCOPUS
ADS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2020AdSpR..65..712B/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2020AdSpR..65..712B
Keywords: 
Active galactic nuclei; Radio interferometry; Techniques