Research Highlights

Here we show recent research results from the Radio Astronomy/Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry department.

Discovery of four new magmasers in Seyfert 2 and OH maser/absorber galaxies

November 28, 2013

A study performed by J. Wagner, PhD student at the MPIfR VLBI department, has discovered four water megamasers in a sample of 37 galaxies.  The sample of galaxies were selected by high X-ray luminosity and high absorbing column densities.  The sources included dual or triple AGN and interacting systems.  These results are presented in the present issue of Astronomy & Astrophysics. [more]

An ordered, helical magnetic near the central black hole in the quasar 3C 454.3

October 28, 2013

Astronomers from the MPIfR VLBI department presented evidence that the radio emission from the jet of the quasar 3C 454.3 exhibits multiple signatures of a large-scale, ordered helical magnetic field component at a distance of hundreds of parsecs from the launching point. These results provide observational support for magnetic jet launching models and indicate that the ordered helical field component may remain stable over a large distance down the jet.  This was predicted for the models for the central engine, but so far it was unclear if this order was preserved further down in the jet.  [more]

Causal connection in parsec-scale relativistic jets found from MOJAVE observations

October 23, 2013

Astronomers from the MPIfR led by E. Clausen-Brown have found a causal connection in active galactic nucleus jets, based on observations from a sample of 133 objects.  This is shown by the value of a parameter Γθj, the product of the jet Lorentz factor and the intrinsic opening angle.  If this value is smaller or equals 1, there is a causal connection between the jet edges and its symmetry axis.  The details of a novel study are presented in the last issue of the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.  [more]

Image of the mysterious supernova remnant SNR 4449-1 in the galaxy NGC 4449

October 4, 2013

A team of astronomers of the MPIfR VLBI department has imaged the milliarsecond-scale radio structure of a nearby supernova remnant at a wavelength of 18 cm with the European VLBI Network.  The observations confirm earlier identifications of this object.  More details can be found in the original publication, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.  [more]

Jet emission in intermediate-mass black holes?

October 3, 2013

An international team of astronomers led by M. Mezcua from the MPIfR has presented evidence of compact radio emission in the ultraluminous X-ra source N5457-X9 within the X-ray error position, making this a potential intermediate-mass black hole steady jet emission.  These results, together with VLBI observations of N4559-X4, are presented in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.  [more]

The quasar and its Fata Morgana

The quasar and its Fata Morgana

September 05, 2013
Multiple images of a quasar through a gas cloud of our Milky Way more
Go to Editor View