G18A002

Probing the Innermost Regions of AGN Jets and their Magnetic Fields

Abstract

Polarization imaging with RadioAstron is a Key Science Program (KSP) of the mission which
has yielded images of the innermost regions of extragalactic jets at unprecedented angular
resolutions, down to 10 microarcseconds, the highest achieved to date. Based on these
results, new RadioAstron observations have been requested for the continuation of our KSP
throughout the AO-6 period of the mission, targeting six highly polarized blazars out of which
we request here ground support for four of these targets that require a global VLBI network.
RadioAstron K band observations will be combined with ground-based U/Q band
observations (performed during cooling gaps in the SRT) to perform detailed multifrequency
polarization imaging, Faraday rotation studies, and spectral analysis of the innermost jet
emission. With this information we will reconstruct the magnetic field structure and study the
physical properties of the jets in the vicinity of the central engine. The AO-6 period offers also
a unique opportunity for quasi-simultaneous RadioAstron (1.3 cm), GMVA (3 mm), and EHT
(1 mm) observations of our targets in spring 2019, including the participation of phased-
ALMA. The resolution-matched images will allow opacity and Faraday rotation studies at
unprecedented high angular resolutions.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Tony Zensus	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Sascha Trippe	Seoul National University
Bong Won Sohn	Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Manel Perucho	València, Universitat de
Miguel Perez-Torres	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
Sol Molina	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
Sang-Sung Lee	Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Mason Keck	Boston University
Jeffrey Hodgson	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Christan Fromm	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Frankfurt am Main, Goethe-Universität
Sandor Frey	Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Philip Edwards	Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Giuseppe Cimo	Tasmania, University of
Carolina Casadio	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de; Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Foundation for Research & Technology - Hellas
Uwe Bach	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
James Anderson	Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum
Antonio Alberdi	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
Ivan Agudo	Boston University; Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium; Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de; Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
Roman Gold	Maryland, University of; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics; Syddansk Universitet
A Gopakumar	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Stanislaw Zola	Uniwersytetu Jagiellonski
Kazuhiro Hada	National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
Juan Carlos Algaba	Academia Sinica; Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute; Seoul National University
Michael Johnson	California at Santa Barbara, University of; Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Kazunori Akiyama	Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Haystack Observatory
Leonid Gurvits	Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium
Rebecca Azulay	València, Universitat de
Stefanie Komossa	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Rusen Lu	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Eduardo Ros	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; València, Universitat de
Thomas Kirchbaum	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Svetlana Jorstad	Boston University
Alan Marscher	Boston University
Tuomas Savolainen	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Aalto yliopisto
Kirill Sokolovsky	Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of
Evgeniya Kravchenko	Lebedev Physical Institute
Laura Vega-Garcia	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Gabriele Bruni	Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica
Yuri Kovalev	Green Bank Observatory
Antonio Fuentes	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
Andrei Lobanov	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Jose L. Gomez *	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
GBT Operator	Green Bank Observatory

* indicates the PI