GMVA16A-290

Imaging the biconical jet of M87 on scales of 3-100 Schwarzschild radii

Abstract

We propose continued global 3mm-VLBI observations of M87 vital to enhance and complement planned global 1.3mm-VLBI experiment with the Event Horizon Telescope in Spring 2016. By adding a near in time high quality 3mm-VLBI image, we aim to help interpreting results from 1mm-VLBI, which has improved, but still limited sensitivity and uv-coverage. Such a combined study can currently only be done once per year. With the combined 3mm/1mm data, a more coherent understanding of the event-horizon-scale structure in M87, and in particular of the jet launching region on scales from about 3-100 Schwarzschild radii can be achieved. The proposed observations will allow us to: 1) determine size and shape of the jet base versus frequency down to about 3 Rs; 2) study spectral index along the northern and southern jet sheath and in core; 3) determine VLBI component spectra and their magnetic field strength; 4) test if core and inner jet sheath are polarized; and 5) constrain theoretical GRMHD modeling (eg. BP vs. BZ of jet launching by accurate observational data.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Michael Johnson	California at Santa Barbara, University of; Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Monika Moscibrodzka	Nijmegen, Radboud Universiteit
Cornelia Mueller	Würzburg, Universität; Nijmegen, Radboud Universiteit; Astronomical Institute of the University of Erlangen-Nuremburg
Gisela Ortiz	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de; México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de; Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Instituto Nacional de
Jonathan Len-Tavares	Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Instituto Nacional de
Gopal Narayanan	Massachusetts at Amherst, University of
Michael Lindqvist	Chalmers University of Technology
Pablo de Vicente	Yebes, Centro Astronómico de
Masanori Nakamura	Academia Sinica; National Institute of Technology, Hachinohe College
Keiichi Asada	Academia Sinica
Shep Doeleman	Haystack Observatory
Jose L. Gomez	Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de
R. Craig Walker	National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Michael Bremer	Institut de Radio Astronomique Millimétrique
Thomas Krichbaum	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Rusen Lu *	Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, CAS

* indicates the PI