Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A

High angular resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of Centaurus A have been undertaken that allow access to a wide field of view, encompassing both the well-studied parsec-scale jet and the inner part of the kiloparsec-scale jet. The VLBI observations have detected compact...

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Main Authors: Tingay, Steven, Lenc, E.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/6984
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author Tingay, Steven
Lenc, E.
author_facet Tingay, Steven
Lenc, E.
author_sort Tingay, Steven
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description High angular resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of Centaurus A have been undertaken that allow access to a wide field of view, encompassing both the well-studied parsec-scale jet and the inner part of the kiloparsec-scale jet. The VLBI observations have detected compact regions of synchrotron emission in the kiloparsec-scale jet that coincide with three stationary features identified from previous VLA monitoring observations. Each of these stationary features is associated with strong localized X-ray emission. The VLBI results strengthen arguments made by previous authors suggesting that the stationary features may be the result of stellar objects or gas clouds traversing the jet flow, intercepting the jet and causing strong shocks. The VLBI data show that the most strongly shocked regions in these features are resolved but have extents no larger than a few pc, reducing the required mass of the typical intercepting object by a factor of -10 relative to previous estimates, making explanations based on high mass-loss stars or low-density gas clouds more plausible.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-69842023-02-22T06:24:23Z Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A Tingay, Steven Lenc, E. galaxies radio continuum individual (Centaurus A) jets active galaxies High angular resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of Centaurus A have been undertaken that allow access to a wide field of view, encompassing both the well-studied parsec-scale jet and the inner part of the kiloparsec-scale jet. The VLBI observations have detected compact regions of synchrotron emission in the kiloparsec-scale jet that coincide with three stationary features identified from previous VLA monitoring observations. Each of these stationary features is associated with strong localized X-ray emission. The VLBI results strengthen arguments made by previous authors suggesting that the stationary features may be the result of stellar objects or gas clouds traversing the jet flow, intercepting the jet and causing strong shocks. The VLBI data show that the most strongly shocked regions in these features are resolved but have extents no larger than a few pc, reducing the required mass of the typical intercepting object by a factor of -10 relative to previous estimates, making explanations based on high mass-loss stars or low-density gas clouds more plausible. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/6984 10.1088/0004-6256/138/3/808 Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc unknown
spellingShingle galaxies
radio continuum
individual (Centaurus A)
jets
active galaxies
Tingay, Steven
Lenc, E.
Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title_full Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title_fullStr Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title_full_unstemmed Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title_short Parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of Centaurus A
title_sort parsec-scale shocks in the kiloparsec-scale jet of centaurus a
topic galaxies
radio continuum
individual (Centaurus A)
jets
active galaxies
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/6984