VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey

VLBA Imaging and VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry SurveyPolarimetry Survey

Greg Taylor (UNM)

The Future of the VLBA – Charlottesville, VA Jan. 28, 2011

The VIPS team is:

Greg Taylor (UNM/NRAO), Chris Fassnacht (UCD), Joe Helmboldt (UNM), Larry Weintraub (Caltech)Jim Ulvestad (NRAO), Craig Walker (NRAO), Steve Myers (NRAO), Lorant Sjouwerman (NRAO), Tim Pearson (Caltech), Tony Readhead (Caltech), Neil Gehrels (NASA GSFC), Roger Romani (Stanford), Peter Michelson (Stanford), Roger Blandford (KIPAC)

PhD Students:

Steve Tremblay (UNM) anticipated 2011 Justin Linford (UNM) anticipated 2012

VIPS and Fermi

VLBA Imaging Polarimetry Survey (VIPS)• 1127 sources: S > 85 mJy, dec > 20, |b|>10 at 8 GHz in SDSS northern cap• First epoch observations during 200+ hours on VLBA in 2006 (~$30K Funding from Stanford/UNM for disks)• Identifications and redshifts from SLOAN, HET, Palomar, …• Goals: - Characterize Fermi sources - Understand polarization properties of AGN classes - Study AGN environments

- Find close binary black hole systemshttp://www.phys.unm.edu/~gbtaylor/VIPS/

VIPS on the web1127 in sample 11 not detected 169 previously imaged------947 newly imaged

http://www.phys.unm.edu/~gbtaylor/VIPS/

PublicationsPublications Taylor et al. 2005, ApJS, "An Automated Taylor et al. 2005, ApJS, "An Automated

approach...approach... Helmboldt et al. 2007, ApJ, "VIPS at 5 GHz"Helmboldt et al. 2007, ApJ, "VIPS at 5 GHz" Taylor et al. 2007, ApJ, "Characteristics of Taylor et al. 2007, ApJ, "Characteristics of

EGRET ...EGRET ... Tremblay et al. 2008, ApJ, "A Shrinking CSO ...Tremblay et al. 2008, ApJ, "A Shrinking CSO ... Helmboldt et al. 2008, ApJ, "A statistical Helmboldt et al. 2008, ApJ, "A statistical

description...description... Tremblay et al. 2009, ApJ, "Identifying CSOs ...Tremblay et al. 2009, ApJ, "Identifying CSOs ... Linford et al. 2011, ApJ, "Characteristics of Linford et al. 2011, ApJ, "Characteristics of

Fermi ...Fermi ...

+ 7 more by the VIPS collaboration+ 7 more by the VIPS collaboration

>12 more by others>12 more by others

VIPS CSO Candidates

Follow-up Observations• 5, 8, 15 GHz VLBA• Full polarization

Spectral classification: F

Kinematic Analysis Ages/Dynamics

Polarization Analysis

Evolution of Radio Galaxies

Tremblay et al in prep.

20 pc

CSO 'Age' Histogram

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6500 7000 7500 8000 8500 9000

Age (years)

Number

Age Estimates

Gugliucci et al. 2005

Tremblay et al in prep.

Core Brightness Core Brightness TemperaturesTemperatures

LAT core TLAT core TBBs tend s tend to be higher than to be higher than non-LAT. Except non-LAT. Except BL Lacs.BL Lacs.

Kolmogorov-Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) Smirnov (K-S) tests indicate that tests indicate that the FSRQs are the FSRQs are very different, but very different, but BL Lacs are BL Lacs are similar.similar.

Stacked histogramsTop: LATBottom: non-LAT

Linford et al.

Core Polarization Core Polarization

The The percentage of percentage of sources found sources found to be to be polarized is polarized is higher for LAT higher for LAT blazars than blazars than for non-LAT for non-LAT blazars.blazars.

CJF 0402+379 – A Compact Binary CJF 0402+379 – A Compact Binary Black Hole Black Hole Radio Continuum Rodriguez et al. Radio Continuum Rodriguez et al. astro-ph/0604042astro-ph/0604042

Naturally weighted 2005 VLBA imagesNaturally weighted 2005 VLBA imagesof 0402+379 at 0.3, 5, 8, 15, 22, and 43 GHz. of 0402+379 at 0.3, 5, 8, 15, 22, and 43 GHz.

C1: 0.183 ± 0.048 C1: 0.183 ± 0.048 pc pc

C2: 0.124 ± 0.035 C2: 0.124 ± 0.035 pc pc Projected Projected separation separation between C1 and between C1 and C2 equal to 7.3 pcC2 equal to 7.3 pc

J16325+3547J16325+3547

J17246+6055J17246+6055

Thoughts about the Thoughts about the FutureFuture

Don't sacrifice the User communityDon't sacrifice the User community They contribute ideas, effort and (sometimes) They contribute ideas, effort and (sometimes)

fundsfunds Maintain time for Users on the VLBAMaintain time for Users on the VLBA Maintain 10 antennas if at all possibleMaintain 10 antennas if at all possibleFuture plans Future plans Take advantage of bandwidth expansion to do Take advantage of bandwidth expansion to do

polarimetry of gamma-ray blazars (RM Synthesis)polarimetry of gamma-ray blazars (RM Synthesis) Contemporaneous VLBA observations with Fermi Contemporaneous VLBA observations with Fermi Study CSO Motions, spectra, Faraday RMs, agesStudy CSO Motions, spectra, Faraday RMs, ages Use new correlator to survey 10,000+ sources for Use new correlator to survey 10,000+ sources for

SBBHs SBBHs Difficult to do above with < 9 antennas (reduced Difficult to do above with < 9 antennas (reduced

spatial dynamic range, fidelity)spatial dynamic range, fidelity)

Backup SlidesBackup Slides

Radio Target ListRadio Target List Selection SSelection S4.84.8>65mJy, |b|>10>65mJy, |b|>1000, , <0.5 -- CLASS+<0.5 -- CLASS+

11,131 sources - Healey et al. 200711,131 sources - Healey et al. 2007 Attempts to fill in PMN holes w/ S5, lower Attempts to fill in PMN holes w/ S5, lower -selected sources-selected sources CCombined ombined RRadio adio AAll-sky ll-sky TTargetted argetted EEight-GHz ight-GHz SSurvey: urvey:

CRATESCRATES

Sky Coverage

VIPS 5 GHzVIPS 5 GHzSummary of Source Types in VIPSSummary of Source Types in VIPSType Type N N Npol/N Npol/N PS PS 276 276 31+/- 4% 31+/- 4% SJET SJET 241 241 36 +/- 5% 36 +/- 5% LJET LJET 471 471 41 +/- 4% 41 +/- 4% CSO CSO 103 103 15 +/- 4% 15 +/- 4% CPLX CPLX 17 17 11 +/- 8% 11 +/- 8% ND ND 11 11 ……

Helmboldt et al. 2007

At their base, Jets tend to have magnetic fields aligned with the jet axis.

This trend should become more pronounced once we can correct for Faraday rotation

Which one of these Jets will be Which one of these Jets will be detected by GLAST?detected by GLAST?

Helmboldt et al. 2007

Manpower EstimatesManpower EstimatesFirst epoch 5 GHz - Kept upFirst epoch 5 GHz - Kept up 2 x 10 hours each month for 10 months2 x 10 hours each month for 10 months 50% of Joe H., 10% of Greg, 5% Lorant50% of Joe H., 10% of Greg, 5% Lorant

SBBH 5, 8, 15 GHz - not keeping up SBBH 5, 8, 15 GHz - not keeping up 3 x 17 hours in the past 3 months3 x 17 hours in the past 3 months 50% of Steve T., 10% of Greg50% of Steve T., 10% of Greg Reduction is more complicatedReduction is more complicated

Proposed Multi-epoch follow-up (20 Proposed Multi-epoch follow-up (20 h/month)h/month)

1.5 FTE, 10% of Greg, 5% Lorant1.5 FTE, 10% of Greg, 5% Lorant

In both hotspots of the In both hotspots of the source, N2 and S2, a source, N2 and S2, a steep spectrum was steep spectrum was found.found.

For both central For both central components, C1 and C2, components, C1 and C2, the spectrum peaks at the spectrum peaks at ~10 GHz. ~10 GHz.

Spectral index distribution between 8 andSpectral index distribution between 8 and22 GHz from the 2005 VLBA observations. 22 GHz from the 2005 VLBA observations.

CJF 0402+379CJF 0402+379