Proposal code

w421

Proposal title

The Parsec-Scale Jet in Superluminal Quasar 3C 273

The

Investigators and their

Affiliations

P.I. A.P. Lobanov MPIfR, Germany
J.A. Zensus MPIfR, Germany
Z. Abraham, E.~Carrara IAG, Sa\~o Paulo, Brazil

Proposal Abstract

The archetypical quasar 3C 273 is an excellent candidate for studies with VSOP. Our ongoing monitoring with VSOP has shown that the jet of 3C 273 is transversely resolved, and can be decomposed, for the first time, into two distinct emitting components, possibly related to the plasma instabilities in the jet. We propose here to continue VSOP monitoring of 3C 273 at 5 GHz, and study in detail structural evolution in the parsec--scale jet of this source. Our scientific objectives are: (1) measuring the transverse jet profiles; (2) measuring velocity gradients across the jet; (3) measuring component variations closer to the core than possible from the ground (where mm-VLBI imaging has not yet been able to produce detailed and reliable images); and (4) high-dynamic range imaging of the jet structure and polarization properties.

The full Cover Sheets (compressed post-script, typically 50kbytes) can be retrieved. Note that some 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 AO4 proposals were submitted in October 2000, and information such as affiliations and contact details has changed for some proposers since that time.