Space very long baseline interferometry observations of polarization in the jet of 3C 380

Papageorgiou, A.; Cawthorne, T. V.; Stirling, A.; Gabuzda, Denise; Polatidis, A. G.

Space very long baseline interferometry observations of polarization in the jet of 3C 380

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Published Version

Date

2006

Authors

Papageorgiou, A.

Cawthorne, T. V.

Stirling, A.

Gabuzda, Denise

Polatidis, A. G.

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Version

10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.11070.x

Abstract

A comparison between low-frequency space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and high-frequency ground-based VLBI images can, in principle, be used to detect small variations in rotation measure (RM) on fine angular scales inaccessible to ground arrays alone. This paper reports an attempt to perform such a comparison using the jet in the quasar 3C 380. Observations made with the VSOP antenna HALCA together with a ground array at wavelength 1.6 GHz provide total intensity and polarization images of comparable resolution to those from the ground array alone at 5 GHz. The results provide an image showing derotated magnetic vector position angle of somewhat higher resolution than that available earlier. The results show variations in an RM around component A of the order of 10 rad m(-2) that could not have been detected with the ground array alone. It is concluded that satellite VLBI observations provide a promising means to study the distribution of matter and magnetic fields around parsec-scale jets. The ground observations used here follow the steady outward drift of component A, which has approximately doubled its distance from the core since the first observations in 1982. They also reveal total intensity and polarization structure associated with a bright knot 0.7 arcsec from the core which is reminiscent of that expected for a conical shock wave.

Keywords

Galaxies , Active , Jets , Quasars , Individual , 3C 380 (1828+487)

Citation

Papageorgiou, A., Cawthorne, T. V., Stirling, A., Gabuzda, D. and Polatidis, A. G. (2006) 'Space very long baseline interferometry observations of polarization in the jet of 3C 380', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 373(2), pp. 449-456. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.11070.x