arXiv subjects

Y. Y. Kovalev

Publications and source records attributed to Y. Y. Kovalev.

204 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

The Fourth VLBA Calibrator Survey - VCS4

This paper presents the fourth extension to the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) Calibrator Survey, containing 258 new sources not previously observed with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). This survey, based on three 24 hour VLBA observing sessions, fills remaining areas on the sky above declination -40 degrees where the calibrator density is less than one source within a 4 degree radius disk at any given direction. The share of these area was reduced from 4.6% to 1.9%. Source positions were derived from astrometric analysis of group delays determined at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz frequency bands using the Calc/Solve software package. The VCS4 catalogue of source positions, plots of correlated flux density versus projected baseline length, contour plots and fits files of naturally weighted CLEAN images, as well as calibrated visibility function files are available on the Web at http://gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov/vcs4 .

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arXiv2005

Sub-milliarcsecond Imaging of Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei. IV. Fine Scale Structure

We have used VLBA fringe visibility data obtained at 15 GHz to examine the compact structure in 250 extragalactic radio sources. For 171 sources in our sample, more than half of the total flux density seen by the VLBA remains unresolved on the longest baselines. There are 163 sources in our list with a median correlated flux density at 15 GHz in excess of 0.5 Jy on the longest baselines. For about 60% of the sources, we have at least one observation in which the core component appears unresolved (generally smaller than 0.05 mas) in one direction, usually transverse to the direction into which the jet extends. BL Lacs are on average more compact than quasars, while active galaxies are on average less compact. Also, in an active galaxy the sub-milliarcsecond core component tends to be less dominant. IDV sources typically have a more compact, more core-dominated structure on sub-milliarcsecond scales than non-IDV sources, and sources with a greater amplitude of intra-day variations tend to have a greater unresolved VLBA flux density. The objects known to be GeV gamma-ray loud appear to have a more compact VLBA structure than the other sources in our sample. This suggests that the mechanisms for the production of gamma-ray emission and for the generation of compact radio synchrotron emitting features are related. The brightness temperature estimates and lower limits for the cores in our sample typically range between 10^11 and 10^13 K, but they extend up to 5x10^13 K, apparently in excess of the equipartition brightness temperature, or the inverse Compton limit for stationary synchrotron sources. The largest component speeds are observed in radio sources with high observed brightness temperatures, as would be expected from relativistic beaming (abridged).

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arXiv2004

The Third VLBA Calibrator Survey

This paper presents the third extension to the Very Large Baseline Array (VLBA) Calibrator Survey, containing 360 new sources not previously observed with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). The survey, based on three 24 hour VLBA observing sessions, fills the areas on the sky above declination -45 degrees where the calibrator density is less than one source within a 4 degrees radius disk at any given direction. The positions were derived from astrometric analysis of the group delays determined at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz frequency bands using the Calc/Solve software package. The VCS3 catalogue of source positions, plots of correlated flux density versus the length of projected baseline, contour plots and fits files of naturally weighted CLEAN images as well as calibrated visibility function files are available on the Web at http://gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov/vcs3

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arXiv2004

Combined VLBI- and X-ray Observations of Active Galactic Nuclei

Compact radio cores in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are classical targets of Very-Long-Baseline interferometric (VLBI) research. Until today little has been known about their X-ray properties in comparison to radio-quiet AGNs. Here, we present results from a systematic X-ray spectral survey of radio-loud AGNs. This study is based on a statistically complete sample of regularly monitored compact, extragalactic radio jets from the VLBA 2 cm Survey and makes use of high-quality X-ray spectroscopic data from the archives of the X-ray observatories ASCA, BeppoSax, CHANDRA, and XMM-Newton. Combined VLBI and X-ray observations of AGNs can yield direct observational links between the central parsecs of extragalactic jets and dynamical processes within the accretion flows around supermassive black holes. It is essential to establish such links, which might have the power to attack the unsolved problem: "What makes an AGN radio-loud?" We present some early results from our survey project and report briefly on detailed studies of 0716+714, NGC 1052, and 3C 390.3.

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arXiv2004

Survey of Instantaneous 1-22 GHz Spectra of 550 Compact Extragalactic Objects with Declinations from -30deg to +43deg

We present observational results for extragalactic radio sources with milliarcsecond components, obtained with the 600 meter ring radio telescope RATAN-600 from 1st to 22nd December, 1997. For each source, a six frequency broad band radio spectrum was obtained by observing simultaneously with an accuracy up to a minute at 1.4, 2.7, 3.9, 7.7, 13 and 31 cm. The observed list is selected from Preston et al. (1985) VLBI survey and contains all the sources in the declinations between -30deg and +43deg with a correlated flux density exceeding 0.1 Jy at 13 cm. The sample includes the majority of sources to be studied in the current VSOP survey and the future RadioAstron Space VLBI mission.

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arXiv2004

Sub-milliarcsecond Imaging of Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei III. Kinematics of Parsec-Scale Radio Jets

We report the results of a 15 GHz (2 cm) multi-epoch VLBA program, begun in 1994 to study the outflow in radio jets ejected from quasars and active galaxies. The observed flow of 208 distinct features measured in 110 quasars, active galaxies, and BL Lac objects shows highly collimated relativistic motion with apparent transverse velocities typically between zero and about 15c, with a tail extending up to about 34c. Within individual jets, different features appear to move with a similar characteristic velocity which may represent an underlying continuous jet flow, but we also see some stationary and even apparently inward moving features which co-exist with the main features. Comparison of our observations with published data at other wavelengths suggests that there is a systematic decrease in apparent velocity with increasing wavelength, probably because the observations at different wavelengths sample different parts of the jet structure. The observed distribution of linear velocities is not consistent with any simple ballistic model. Either there is a rather broad range of Lorentz factors, a significant difference between the velocity of the bulk relativistic flow and the pattern speed of underlying shocks, or a combination of these options. Assuming a ballistic flow, comparison of observed apparent velocities and Doppler factors computed from the time scale of flux density variations is consistent with a steep power law distribution of intrinsic Lorentz factors, an isotropic distribution of orientations of the parent population, and intrinsic brightness temperatures about an order of magnitude below the canonical inverse Compton limit. It appears that the parent population of radio jets is not dominated by highly relativistic flows (abridged).

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