J/AJ/152/12 MOJAVE. XIII. New 15GHz observations on 1994-2013 (Lister+, 2016)
MOJAVE: XIII. Parsec-scale AGN jet kinematics analysis based on 19 years of VLBA
observations at 15 GHz.
Lister M.L., Aller M.F., Aller H.D., Homan D.C., Kellermann K.I.,
Kovalev Y.Y., Pushkarev A.B., Richards J.L., Ros E., Savolainen T.
<Astron. J., 152, 12 (2016)>
=2016AJ....152...12L 2016AJ....152...12L (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)
ADC_Keywords: Active gal. nuclei ; BL Lac objects ; QSOs ; Radio sources ;
Proper motions ; Redshifts ; Radio continuum
Keywords: BL Lacertae objects: general - galaxies: active - galaxies: jets -
quasars: general - radio continuum: galaxies
Abstract:
We present 1625 new 15GHz (2cm) VLBA images of 295 jets associated
with active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the MOJAVE and 2cm VLBA
surveys, spanning observations between 1994 August 31 and 2013 August
20. For 274 AGNs with at least 5 VLBA epochs, we have analyzed the
kinematics of 961 individual bright features in their parsec-scale
jets. A total of 122 of these jets have not been previously analyzed
by the MOJAVE program. In the case of 451 jet features that had at
least 10 epochs, we also examined their kinematics for possible
accelerations. At least half of the well-sampled features have
non-radial and/or accelerating trajectories, indicating that
non-ballistic motion is common in AGN jets. Since it is impossible to
extrapolate any accelerations that occurred before our monitoring
period, we could only determine reliable ejection dates for ∼24% of
those features that had significant proper motions. The distribution
of maximum apparent jet speeds in all 295 AGNs measured by our program
to date is peaked below 5c , with very few jets with apparent speeds
above 30c . The fastest speed in our survey is ∼50c , measured in the
jet of the quasar PKS0805-07, and is indicative of a maximum jet
Lorentz factor of ∼50 in the parent population. An envelope in the
maximum jet speed versus redshift distribution of our sample provides
additional evidence of this upper limit to the speeds of
radio-emitting regions in parsec-scale AGN jets. The
Fermi-LAT-detected gamma-ray AGNs in our sample have, on average,
higher jet speeds than non-LAT-detected AGNs, indicating a strong
correlation between parsec-scale jet speed and the gamma-ray Doppler
boosting factor. We have identified 11 moderate-redshift (z<0.35) AGNs
with fast apparent speeds (>10c) that are strong candidates for future
TeV gamma-ray detection. Of the five gamma-ray loud narrow-lined
Seyfert I AGNs in our sample, three show highly superluminal jet
motions, while the others have sub-luminal speeds. This indicates that
some narrow-lined Seyfert I AGNs possess powerful jets with Lorentz
factors in excess of 10, and viewing angles less than 10°,
consistent with those of typical BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum
radio quasars.
Description:
Starting with the 2cm Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) survey in 1994
(Kellermann et al. 1998AJ....115.1295K 1998AJ....115.1295K), and continuing with the
MOJAVE (Monitoring of Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei with VLBA
Experiments) program (Lister et al. 2009, Cat. J/AJ/137/3718), we have
carried out multi-epoch VLBA observations of several hundred of the
brightest, most compact radio sources in the northern sky.
In this paper, we present 1625 VLBA 15GHz contour maps of 295 AGNs for
epochs between 1994 August 31 and 2013 August 20 that have not
previously appeared in any paper from the MOJAVE (Lister & Homan 2005,
Cat. J/AJ/130/1389; Lister et al. 2009, Cat. J/AJ/137/3718; Lister et
al. 2013, Cat. J/AJ/146/120) or 2cm VLBA surveys (Kellermann et al.
1998AJ....115.1295K 1998AJ....115.1295K; Zensus et al. 2002AJ....124..662Z 2002AJ....124..662Z). These AGNs
(see Table1) are from one or more of the following: the MOJAVE
low-luminosity sample (Lister et al. 2013, Cat. J/AJ/146/120), the
complete flux density-limited MOJAVE 1.5Jy sample (Lister et al. 2015,
Cat. J/ApJ/810/L9), the VLBA 2cm survey (Kellermann et al.
1998AJ....115.1295K 1998AJ....115.1295K), the third EGRET gamma-ray catalog (Hartman et
al. 1999, Cat. J/ApJS/123/79), or the 3FGL Fermi gamma-ray catalog
(Acero et al. 2015, Cat. J/ApJS/218/23). Also included are some AGNs
that were originally candidates for these samples, but did not meet
the final selection criteria.
We list the parameters of the contour maps in Table2. We modeled the
(u, v) visibility data in Difmap (Shepherd 1997ASPC..125...77S 1997ASPC..125...77S) using
a set of Gaussian features, which we list in Table3. We analyzed the
kinematics of the robust Gaussian jet features in our sample using two
methods. The results of these analyses are listed separately in Tables
4 and 5, respectively.
File Summary:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ReadMe 80 . This file
table1.dat 165 343 AGN properties
table2.dat 92 1625 Summary of 15GHz image parameters
table3.dat 61 21365 Fitted jet features
table4.dat 147 1295 Vector motion fit properties of jet features
table5.dat 156 691 Acceleration fit properties of jet features
notes.dat 458 77 Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See also:
VII/260 : The SDSS-DR7 quasar catalog (Schneider+, 2010)
VII/258 : Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei (13th Ed.) (Veron+ 2010)
J/ApJS/218/23 : Fermi LAT third source catalog (3FGL) (Acero+, 2015)
J/ApJ/810/L9 : 1.5Jy MOJAVE AGN sample and 3FGL data (Lister+, 2015)
J/ApJ/810/14 : Third catalog of LAT-detected AGNs (3LAC) (Ackermann+, 2015)
J/ApJ/798/134 : MOJAVE. XII. Acceleration of blazar jets (Homan+, 2015)
J/AJ/147/143 : MOJAVE. XI. Spectral distributions (Hovatta+, 2014)
J/AJ/147/14 : The mJIVE-20 catalog (Deller+, 2014)
J/ApJ/764/135 : Spectroscopic redshifts of BL Lac objects (Shaw+, 2013)
J/AJ/146/120 : MOJAVE. X. Parsec-scale kinematics of AGNs (Lister+, 2013)
J/A+A/545/A113 : MOJAVE IX. Core shift effects (Pushkarev+, 2012)
J/AJ/144/105 : MOJAVE. VIII. Faraday rotation in AGN jets. (Hovatta+, 2012)
J/ApJS/199/31 : Fermi LAT second source catalog (2FGL) (Nolan+, 2012)
J/ApJ/748/49 : Optical spectroscopy of 1LAC broad-line blazars (Shaw+, 2012)
J/ApJ/744/177 : VLBA 5GHz observations of Fermi/LAT AGNs (Linford+, 2012)
J/ApJ/743/171 : The 2LAC catalog (Ackermann+, 2011)
J/ApJ/742/27 : 15GHz and jet properties of MOJAVE blazars (Lister+, 2011)
J/ApJS/188/405 : Fermi-LAT first source catalog (1FGL) (Abdo+, 2010)
J/ApJ/706/1253 : MOJAVE VII. Blazar jet acceleration (Homan+, 2009)
J/AJ/138/1874 : MOJAVE. VI. Kinematic analysis of blazar jets (Lister+, 2009)
J/AJ/137/3718 : 15GHz monitoring of AGN jets with VLBA (Lister+, 2009)
J/A+A/489/849 : Revised catalog of EGRET gamma-ray sources (Casandjian+, 2008)
J/ApJ/658/203 : VLBA imaging and polarimetry survey at 5GHz (Helmboldt+, 2007)
J/ApJ/626/95 : Gamma-ray blazar candidates (Sowards-Emmerd+, 2005)
J/AJ/130/1389 : Linear polarization of AGN jets at 15GHz (Lister+, 2005)
J/ApJ/609/539 : Kinematics of parsec-scale radio jets (Kellermann+, 2004)
J/ApJ/590/109 : Gamma-ray blazar in northern sky (Sowards-Emmerd+, 2003)
J/ApJS/126/133 : The FIRST bright quasar survey. II. (White+, 2000)
J/ApJS/123/79 : Third EGRET catalog (3EG) (Hartman+, 1999)
http://www.astro.purdue.edu/MOJAVE : Our project website
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table1.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10 A1 --- f_B1950 [ab] Kinematic flag (a=from this paper;
b=previously analyzed) (1)
12- 21 A10 --- J2000 Source J2000 identifier (JHHMM+DDMM)
23 A1 --- f_J2000 [c] Indicates a known TeV emitter
(http://tevcat.uchicago.edu/)
25- 41 A17 --- OName Other name
43- 46 A4 --- --- [1FGL]
48- 59 A12 --- 1FGL 1FGL identifier of the γ-ray association
61- 64 A4 --- --- [2FGL]
66- 77 A12 --- 2FGL 2FGL identifier of the γ-ray association
79- 81 A3 --- --- [3EG]
83- 92 A10 --- 3EG 3EG identifier of the γ-ray association
94- 97 A4 --- --- [3FGL]
99-111 A13 --- 3FGL 3FGL identifier of the γ-ray association
113 A1 --- f_3FGL [ed] Flag on the γ-ray association (2)
115 A1 --- O Optical classification (B, Q, G, N, or U) (3)
117 A1 --- Mm MOJAVE 1.5Jy sample membership flag (Y=Yes)
119-126 F8.6 --- z [0.004/3.7]? Spectroscopic redshift
128-165 A38 --- BibCode Reference bibcode for redshift and/or optical
classification
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): Flag on B1950 defined as below:
a = Jet kinematics analyzed in this paper, based on data up to 2013 Aug 20;
b = Jet kinematics analyzed by Lister et al. 2013 (Cat. J/AJ/146/120), based
on data up to 2011 May 1.
Note (2): Flag on the γ-ray association defined as follows:
d = Fermi LAT detection reported by Carpenter et al. 2014ATel.5838....1C 2014ATel.5838....1C;
e = One of two AGN associations listed for this 3FGL source in
Ackermann et al. 2015 (Cat. J/ApJ/810/14; see Appendix A).
Note (3): The letters define the optical classification as below:
B = BL Lac;
Q = Quasar;
G = radio Galaxy;
N = Narrow-lined Seyfert 1;
U = Unidentified.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table2.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10- 26 A17 --- OName Other name
28- 38 A11 "Y:M:D" Date Date of the observation
40- 46 A7 --- Code Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) experiment code
48 A1 --- f_Code [abc] Configuration peculiarity (1)
50- 53 F4.1 GHz Freq [15.2/15.4] Frequency of the observation
55- 58 F4.2 mas a [0.36/3.91] FWHM major axis of restoring beam
60- 63 F4.2 mas b [0.27/1.87] FWHM minor axis of restoring beam
65- 67 I3 deg PA [-87/88] Position angle of major restoring
beam axis
69- 74 F6.3 Jy Itot [0.07/15.8] Total I flux density
76- 79 F4.2 mJy/beam rms [0.06/3.58] RMS noise level of image
81- 85 F5.2 mJy/beam Ibase [0.2/16.5] Lowest I contour
87- 88 A2 --- --- [1.]
89- 92 I4 --- Figure1 Corresponding figure 1 set number
(1 to 1625) (2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): The indicators of origin of the VLBA project code are as follows:
a = Full polarization MOJAVE (Monitoring of Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei
with VLBA Experiments) epoch;
b = 2cm Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) Survey epoch;
c = NRAO data archive epoch.
Note (2): Naturally weighted 15GHz total intensity VLBA contour images of
individual epoch observations of the MOJAVE AGN sample. The contours are
in successive powers of times the base contour level in mJy per beam, as
listed in Table2 and at the top of each panel. The FWHM restoring beam
dimensions are indicated as a cross in the lower left corner. Because of
self-calibration, in some cases the origin may be coincident with the
brightest feature in the image, rather than the putative core feature
listed in Table3.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table3.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10- 11 I2 --- Ft [0/30] Feature identification number
(zero=core feature)
13 A1 --- f_Ft [a] Individual feature epoch not used in
kinematic fits
15- 25 A11 "Y:M:D" Date Date of the observation
27- 32 F6.3 Jy SI [0.001/12.8] Flux density
34- 38 F5.2 mas Off [0.01/67.2]? Position offset (r) (1)
40- 44 F5.1 deg PA [0/360]? Position angle (2)
46- 50 F5.2 mas a [0.01/16.6]? FWHM major axis of fitted Gaussian
52- 55 F4.2 --- b/a [0.01/1]? Axial ratio of fitted Gaussian
57- 59 I3 deg PAm [0/360]? Major axis position angle of fitted
Gaussian
61 A1 --- R [NY] Robust feature flag (Y=yes or N=no) (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): From the core feature (or map center for the core feature entries).
Note (2): With respect to the core feature (or map center for the core feature
entries).
Note (3): In some instances, it was not possible to robustly cross-identify the
same features in a jet from one epoch to the next. We indicate those
features with robust cross-identifications across at least five epochs. For
the non-robust features, we caution that the assignment of the same
identification number across epochs does not necessarily indicate a
reliable cross-identification.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table4.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10 A1 --- f_B1950 [d] Fit parameters for this source are from
Lister et al. 2013 (Cat. J/AJ/146/120)
12- 13 I2 --- Ft [1/49] Feature identification number (zero
indicates core feature)
15 A1 --- f_Ft [a] Feature has significant accelerated motion
(see Table5 for acceleration fit parameters)
17- 19 I3 --- Nep [5/115] Number of fitted epochs
21- 24 I4 mJy [2/6994] Mean flux density at 15GHz
26- 30 F5.2 mas [0.13/66.1] Mean distance from core feature
32- 37 F6.2 pc <Dist> [0.03/329.9]? Mean projected distance from core
feature (dproj)
39- 43 F5.1 deg [0.1/359.5] Mean position angle with respect to
core feature (<θ>)
45- 50 F6.2 deg PA [0/360] Position angle of velocity vector
(φ)
52- 57 F6.2 deg e_PA [0.34/360] Uncertainty in PA
59- 60 A2 --- f_PA [ ?b] Feature with significant inward motion (1)
62- 67 F6.2 deg Off [0/179.8] Offset between and PA
(|<θ>-φ|)
69- 74 F6.2 deg e_Off [0.36/360] Uncertainty in Off
76- 77 A2 --- f_Off [ ?c] Feature shows significant non-radial
motion (1)
79- 85 F7.2 uas/yr pm [0.5/2935] Angular proper motion (µ)
87- 92 F6.2 uas/yr e_pm [0.49/262] Uncertainty in pm
94 A1 --- f_pm [e] Feature with slow pattern speed
96-103 F8.5 c beta [0.00064/39.7]? Fitted speed (βapp) in
units of light speed
105-112 F8.5 c e_beta [0.0008/21]? Uncertainty in beta
114-121 F8.3 yr Tej [1929/2011.2]? Estimated epoch of origin (tej)
123-127 F5.3 yr e_Tej [0.019/8.6]? Uncertainty in Tej
129-137 F9.2 yr talpha [-92541/93859] Fitted epoch of origin in right
ascension direction (tα)
139-147 F9.2 yr tdelta [-52905/59338] Fitted epoch of origin in
declination direction (tδ)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): A question mark indicates a feature whose motion is not consistent
with outward, radial motion but for which the possibility of inward motion
and its degree of non-radialness are uncertain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table5.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10 A1 --- f_B1950 [d] Fit parameters for this source are from
Lister et al. 2013 (Cat. J/AJ/146/120)
12- 13 I2 --- Ft [1/48] Feature identification number (zero
indicates core feature)
15 A1 --- f_Ft [a] Feature with significant accelerated motion
17- 22 F6.2 deg pmPA [0/359] Proper motion position angle (φ)
24- 29 F6.2 deg e_pmPA [0.21/360] Uncertainty in pmPA
31- 32 A2 --- f_pmPA [?c] Feature showing significant inward
motion (1)
34- 39 F6.2 deg Off [0/179.7] Offset between mean position angle
and velocity vector position angle
(|<θ>-φ|)
41- 46 F6.2 deg e_Off [0.23/360] Uncertainty in Off
48- 49 A2 --- f_Off [ ?b] Feature shows significant non-radial
motion (1)
51- 57 F7.2 uas/yr pm [0/2941] Angular proper motion (µ)
59- 64 F6.2 uas/yr e_pm [0.41/196] Uncertainty in pm
66- 73 F8.5 c beta [0/34.8]? Fitted speed (βapp) in units
of light speed
75- 81 F7.5 c e_beta [0.0008/3.3]? Uncertainty in beta
83- 89 F7.2 uas/yr2 dpm1 [-819/800] Angular acceleration perpendicular
to velocity direction (dµ/dt)⊥
91- 96 F6.2 uas/yr2 e_dpm1 [0.35/443] Uncertainty in dpm1
98-103 F6.2 uas/yr2 E_dpm1 [0.32/442] Additional direction-based
uncertainty in dpm1
105-111 F7.2 uas/yr2 dpm2 [-744/1705] Angular acceleration parallel to
velocity direction (dµ/dt)||
113-118 F6.2 uas/yr2 e_dpm2 [0.33/737] Uncertainty in dpm2
120-125 F6.2 uas/yr2 E_dpm2 [0.17/737] Additional direction-based
uncertainty in dpm2
127-133 F7.2 yr Tmid [1996.25/2012.79] Date of reference (middle)
epoch used for fit (tmid) (2)
135-144 F10.2 yr talpha Fitted epoch of origin in right ascension
direction (tα)
146-156 F11.2 yr tdelta Fitted epoch of origin in declination
direction (tδ)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): A question mark indicates a feature whose motion is not consistent
with outward, radial motion but for which the possibility of degree of
non-radialness are uncertain.
Note (2): We analyzed the kinematics of the robust Gaussian jet features in our
sample using two methods. In the first method, we assumed a
non-accelerating, two-dimensional (R.A. and decl.) vector fit to the
feature position over time, referenced to the core feature (which we
presumed to be stationary). The latter represents the region in our VLBA
images near the base of the jet where the emission becomes optically thick
at 15GHz. For the features that had measurements at 10 or more epochs, our
second method employed a constant acceleration model that yielded
kinematic fit quantities at a (midpoint) reference date located exactly
halfway between the first and last VLBA observation dates for that
particular AGN.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: notes.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 A8 --- B1950 Source B1950 identifier (HHMM+DDd)
10-458 A449 --- Text Text of note on individual source
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
History:
From electronic version of the journal
References:
Lister et al. Paper I. 2005AJ....130.1389L 2005AJ....130.1389L Cat. J/AJ/130/1389
Homan et al. Paper II. 2006AJ....131.1262H 2006AJ....131.1262H Cat. J/AJ/131/1262
Cooper et al. Paper III. 2007ApJS..171..376C 2007ApJS..171..376C Cat. J/ApJS/171/376
Cara et al. Paper IV. 2008ApJ...674..111C 2008ApJ...674..111C
Lister et al. Paper V. 2009AJ....137.3718L 2009AJ....137.3718L Cat. J/AJ/137/3718
Lister et al. Paper VI. 2009AJ....138.1874L 2009AJ....138.1874L Cat. J/AJ/138/1874
Homan et al. Paper VII. 2009ApJ...706.1253H 2009ApJ...706.1253H Cat. J/ApJ/706/1253
Hovatta et al. Paper VIII. 2012AJ....144..105H 2012AJ....144..105H Cat. J/AJ/144/105
Pushkarev et al. Paper IX. 2012A&A...545A.113P 2012A&A...545A.113P Cat. J/A+A/545/A113
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Homan et al. Paper XII. 2015ApJ...798..134H 2015ApJ...798..134H Cat. J/ApJ/798/134
Lister et al. Paper XIII. 2016AJ....152...12L 2016AJ....152...12L This catalog
Pushkarev et al. Paper XIV. 2017MNRAS.468.4992P 2017MNRAS.468.4992P Cat. J/MNRAS/468/4992
Lister et al. Paper XV. 2018ApJS..234...12L 2018ApJS..234...12L Cat. J/ApJS/234/12
Hodge et al. Paper XVI. 2018ApJ...862..151H 2018ApJ...862..151H Cat. J/ApJ/862/151
Lister et al. Paper XVII. 2019ApJ...874...43L 2019ApJ...874...43L Cat. J/ApJ/874/43
Lister et al. Paper XVIII. 2021ApJ...923...30L 2021ApJ...923...30L Cat. J/ApJ/923/30
Homan et al. Paper XIX. 2021ApJ...923...67H 2021ApJ...923...67H Cat. J/ApJ/923/67
Pushkarev et al. Paper XX. 2023MNRAS.520.6053P 2023MNRAS.520.6053P
(End) Prepared by [AAS]; Sylvain Guehenneux [CDS] 13-Sep-2016