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首页> 外文期刊>The Astrophysical journal >VLBA Polarization Observations of Markarian 421 after a Gamma-Ray High State
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VLBA Polarization Observations of Markarian 421 after a Gamma-Ray High State

机译:伽玛射线高态后Markarian 421的VLBA极化观察

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We present four high dynamic range, dual-circular polarization, Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations at 22 GHz of Mrk 421, taken throughout the year following the source's unprecedented gamma-ray high state in early 2001. Previous VLBI observations of this source had shown only subluminal apparent motions in the parsec-scale jet and no apparent connection between jet components and gamma-ray flares, so we examined whether the larger gamma-ray flares of 2001 had produced a component that could be followed on the parsec-scale VLBA images. These four new VLBA observations are combined with data from our earlier 1999 paper and archival VLBA data sets that have become available since 1999 to produce a combined 28 epoch VLBA data set on Mrk 421 spanning 1994-2002. No new component associated with the 2001 flares was seen on the total intensity images, but the combined data set allowed precise measurements of the apparent speeds of the existing components. The peak measured apparent speed was for component C5, which has an apparent speed of 0.1c ± 0.02c (H0 = 71 km s-1 Mpc-1, Ωm = 0.27, and ΩΛ = 0.73). No counterjet is seen with a limit on the jet to counterjet brightness ratio J ~ 100. These observed VLBI properties of Mrk 421 are consistent with a jet with a bulk Lorentz factor Γ ~ 2 and an angle to the line of sight θ ~ 1°, suggesting a jet that decelerates between the gamma-ray producing region and the parsec scale. Although a limb-brightened structure is seen in some transverse slices across the jet, it is not seen consistently, inhibiting interpretation in terms of the fast-spine/slow-layer model that has been invoked for other sources. The VLBI core and inner jet (component C7) have fractional polarizations of ~5% and an electric vector position angle (EVPA) aligned with the jet axis. Component C5 (at 1.5 mas from the core) has a higher fractional polarization of ~15% and an EVPA nearly orthogonal to the jet axis. Significant variability is detected in the EVPA of component C6, which at two of the four epochs shows an EVPA aligned with the jet axis, possibly a sign of propagating disturbances that are only visible on the polarization images. If these propagating disturbances are linked to the 2001 gamma-ray high state, then their inferred apparent speed is between 1c and 3c.
机译:在2001年初该源出现前所未有的伽马射线高强度状态之后,我们全年对Mrk 421进行了22次GHz的四次高动态范围双圆极化,超长基线阵列(VLBA)观测。该源的先前VLBI观测已经显示了在等分尺度射流中的管腔下视运动,而射流分量和伽马射线耀斑之间没有明显的联系,因此我们检查了2001年较大的伽马射线耀斑是否产生了可以在视差尺度上遵循的分量VLBA图像。这四个新的VLBA观测值与我们早于1999年的论文和档案VLBA数据集相结合,这些数据自1999年以来就可用于生成1994到2002年间Mrk 421的28个时代VLBA数据集。在总强度图像上没有看到与2001年耀斑有关的新成分,但是组合的数据集可以精确测量现有成分的视在速度。测得的峰值视在速度是针对组分C5的,其视在速度为0.1c±0.02c(H0 = 71 km s-1 Mpc-1,Ωm= 0.27,ΩΛ= 0.73)。没有观察到对射流,其射流与反射流的亮度比J限制为J>〜100。Mrk 421的这些VLBI特性与具有整体洛伦兹因子Γ〜2和与视线角θ〜1的射流一致。 °,表示射流在产生伽马射线的区域和秒差距之间减速。尽管在喷流的一些横向切片中看到了肢体变亮的结构,但并不能始终如一地看到,这阻碍了对其他来源调用的快速脊柱/慢层模型的解释。 VLBI磁芯和内部射流(分量C7)具有约5%的分数极化,并且与射流轴对齐的电矢量位置角(EVPA)。组分C5(距岩心1.5 mas)的偏极化率较高,约为15%,EVPA几乎垂直于射流轴。在组件C6的EVPA中检测到显着变化,在四个时期中的两个时期,EVPA与射流轴对齐,这可能是传播干扰的征兆,仅在偏振图像上可见。如果这些传播的干扰与2001年的伽马射线高状态有关,则它们的推断视在速度在1c和3c之间。

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