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	Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
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