Proposal code

v048

Proposal title

SVLBI Imaging of the Jets of Cyg A with Sub-parsec Resolution

The

Investigators and their

Affiliations

P.I. T.P. Krichbaum MPIfR, Bonn, Germany
W. Alef MPIfR, Bonn, Germany
A. Witzel MPIfR, Bonn, Germany
D.A. Graham MPIfR, Bonn, Germany
J.A. Zensus NRAO, Charlottesville, USA

Proposal Abstract

Cygnus A is commonly regarded as `THE' archetypical radio galaxy. From ongoing 22 & 43 GHz VLBI monitoring we find a highly complex two sided core-jet morphology, subluminal motion with beta_{app} ~0.1-0.2, and a jet/counter-jet ratio in the range of 2 <= R <= 30. The exact values of speed and jet/counter-jet ratio depend on the registration of the core position, which still is uncertain. We propose to make a high resolution full polarization map of Cygnus A with high dynamic range at 5 GHz. With an observing beam of ~ 0.2 mas (spatial resolution: 0.15 pc), comparable to that of our 22 GHz images, exact positioning of the VLBI-core and spectral imaging of jet and counter-jet will become possible. This will result in a more accurate determination of jet/counter-jet ratio and velocities on both sides of the jet. Thus important intrinsic jet properties could be derived, putting hard limits on jet-models and unification scenarios.

The full Cover Sheets (compressed post-script, typically 50kbytes) can be retrieved. Note that many proposals were reduced in extent by the Scientific Review Committee (e.g. by reducing the number of experiments), however the Cover Sheets contain the full proposal as submitted. Also note that AO1 proposals were submitted in November 1995, and information such as affiliations and contact details has changed for some proposers since that time. The Cover Sheets (and the details on this page, which were derived from the Cover Sheets) may therefore have changed.