Research Highlights

Twin, but asymmetric jets in the radio galaxy NGC 1052

February 26, 2019

A study of twenty-nine observations using very-long-baseline interferometry in the radio galaxy NGC 1052, led by the MPIfR PhD student Anne-Kathrin Baczko, has revealed new details of the nature of the twin jet in this object.  Interestingly, the approaching (eastern) jet has higher kinetic energy, whereas the receding (western) jet has a larger internal energy or magnetic flux.  The inner structure of the jet can be explained by a spine-sheath with a fast inner layer and a slower outer layer.  These results are published in the present issue of the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, for the original publication, see here. 

Resolving the innermost region of the radio galaxy NGC 1275 with mm-VLBI

February 19, 2019

Using the Global mm-VLBI Array, an international team of astronomers led by J.Y. Kim from the MPI für Radioastronomie, has analysed the inner polarised structure of the nearby radio galaxy 3C 84 (NGC 1257), reaching resolutions of 50 μas (corresponding to ∼200 schwarzschild radii).  The results suggest that the emission is associated with an underlying limb-brightened jet.  The images match in resolution the ones obtained with space VLBI in our group, several months ago (see below).  These results are published in the present issue of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, for the original publication, see here.