English

Testing adiabatic expansion of shocks in parsec-scale jets by dual-frequency VLBI experiments

Astrophysics 2009-02-16 v1

Abstract

We present results of simultaneous dual-frequency (2 GHz and 8 GHz) very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of 12 active galactic nuclei with prominent jets. Spectral properties of the jets and evolution of their brightness temperature are discussed. Measured sizes and brightness temperatures of VLBI features are found to be consistent with emission from relativistic shocks dominated by adiabatic losses. Physical scenarios with different magnetic field orientation in the jets are discussed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0807.3229,
  title  = {Testing adiabatic expansion of shocks in parsec-scale jets by dual-frequency VLBI experiments},
  author = {A. B. Pushkarev and Y. Y. Kovalev and A. P. Lobanov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0807.3229},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

4 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana, Vol. 79