Spectral Indices of Core and Extended Components of Extragalactic Radio Sources

We use observed peak and total flux densities at 6cm and 20cm to determine the spectral indices separately for the core and extended components of QSOs and galaxies, as well as their core-dominance parameters. Our results indicate that 1) Nine QSOs show both greater than 1.0 core-dominance parameters (those objects should be blazars) and greater than 0.5 spectral indices. The average core spectral index is αCore = 0.85±0.21 for the nine blazars, which implies that it is not reliable to use αradio = 0.0 for blazars. For the different subclasses, the core and extended spectral indices are as follows: for the blazars, αCore = 0.22±0.06 and αExt =0.77±0.12; the galaxies,αCore = 1.01±0.13 and αExt =0.83±0.21, and for the QSOs, αCore = 0.28±0.10 and αExt =0.68±0.08. 2) The core spectral index and core dominance parameter (R) show an anti-correlation, αC = (-1.28±0.26) log R+ (0.65 ± 0.11); 3) R is approximately linearly correlated with redshift (z).     

Discovery of Three Large HII Regions in the Galactic Plane

We discovered three large HII regions:G148.8 2.3,G149.5 0.0 and G169.9 2.0 in the Sino-German λ6 cm polarization survey of the Galactic plane.They have been identi fied based on the flat spectral indexes and the strong infrared emission properties.     

A Composite Model for GHz Peaked Spectra of Radio Sources

GHz-Peaked Spectrum (GPS) radio sources are powerful and compact sources with convex spectra. With increasing observational findings, it has been realized that either Synchrotron Self-Absorption (SSA) alone or Free-Free Absorption (FFA) alone is not enough to account for all the spectral features. We present a model consisting of an SSA region partially covered by FFA plasma, and derive a composite spectral formula. By applying the model to a sample of 19 GPS sources having strong absorption, it is found that the external FFA process makes the SSA peak frequency linearly shift to a higher (observed) peak frequency. The shift indicates that the FFA does play a role at the frequency close to the observed peak frequency.     

Radio Identifications of Markarian Galaxies and the Correlation between Radio and Far-Infrared Properties

By checking DSS optical images and NVSS radio images, 782 Markarian galaxies were identified to be NVSS radio sources. A comparison of the radio luminosity at 1.4 GHz and the far-infrared (FIR) luminosity for 468 "normal" galaxies shows a tight correlation. Most of the Seyfert galaxies and quasars follow the radio-FIR relation deduced from the "normal" galaxy sample, but with a somewhat larger scatter. A total 167 Markarian galaxies, comprising 100 "normal" galaxies, 66 Seyfert galaxies and one quasar, have either excess radio emission or much lower FIR spectral index α(25μm,60μm). These galaxies may be classified as "AGN-powered". For "normal" galaxies, the average q value (defined as the log ratio between FIR and radio luminosities) is 2.3. There seems a trend for q to slightly decrease with increasing radio luminosity. This may imply that the ongoing active star formation in galaxies with higher radio luminosities is more efficient in heating the cosmic-ray electrons.     

Radio source calibration for the Very Small Array and other cosmic microwave background instruments at around 30 GHz

Accurate calibration of data is essential for the current generation of cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. Using data from the Very Small Array (VSA), we describe procedures which will lead to an accuracy of 1 per cent or better for experiments such as the VSA and CBI. Particular attention is paid to the stability of the receiver systems, the quality of the site and frequent observations of reference sources. At 30 GHz the careful correction for atmospheric emission and absorption is shown to be essential for achieving 1 per cent precision.
The sources for which a 1 per cent relative flux density calibration was achieved included Cas A, Cyg A, Tau A and NGC 7027 and the planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. A flux density, or brightness temperature in the case of the planets, was derived at 33 GHz relative to Jupiter which was adopted as the fundamental calibrator. A spectral index at ∼30 GHz is given for each.
Cas A, Tau A, NGC 7027 and Venus were examined for variability. Cas A was found to be decreasing at 0.394 ± 0.019 per cent yr⁻¹ over the period 2001 March to 2004 August. In the same period Tau A was decreasing at 0.22 ± 0.07 per cent yr⁻¹. A survey of the published data showed that the planetary nebula NGC 7027 decreased at 0.16 ± 0.04 per cent yr⁻¹ over the period 1967–2003. Venus showed an insignificant (1.5 ± 1.3 per cent) variation with Venusian illumination. The integrated polarization of Tau A at 33 GHz was found to be 7.8 ± 0.6 per cent at position angle =148°± 3°.     

Spectral index determination between 408 MHz and 5 GHz in the northern sky

We present the joint analysis of two 5-GHz interferometric surveys of the northern sky, taken with different baselines. The two surveys were carried out on the Jodrell Bank 5-GHz interferometer based at Manchester. The Maximum Entropy Method is used to check the consistency of the two surveys and the final two-dimensional maps are used, together with low-frequency full sky surveys, to put constraints on the Galactic spectral index. It is found that synchrotron emission is the dominant process at high Galactic latitudes below 5 GHz.     

High Brightness Temperatures in IDV Sources

High brightness temperatures are a characteristic feature of IntraDay Variability (IDV) of extragalactic radio sources. Recent studies of the polarization properties of some IDV sources (e.g., 1150 812, PKS 0405-385 and 0716 714) have shown that these sources harbor several compact IDV components with angular sizes of -10-30/uas and very high polarizations (of up to -50%-70%). These results indicate the possibility of the existence of uniform magnetic fields in the IDV components. We investigate the incoherent synchrotron and self- Compton radiation of an anisotropic distribution of relativistic electrons which spin around the magnetic field lines at small pitch angles. The brightness temperature limit caused by second-order Compton losses is discussed and compared to the brightness temperatures derived from energy equipartition arguments. It is found that anisotropic distributions of electrons moving in ordered magnetic fields can raise the equipartition and Compton brightness temperatures by a factor of up to -3-5. This would remove some of the difficulties in the interpretation of extremely high intrinsic brightness temperatures of > 1012 K (or apparent brightness temperatures of - 1014 K with a Doppler factor of -30).     

Radio properties of FIRST radio sources at 1 mJy

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the radio properties for the sample of faint radio sources introduced by Magliocchetti et al. in 2000. The sample comprises mainly intrinsically low-power sources, the majority of which (≳70 per cent) are FR I radio galaxies. These objects show some degree (at 1 σ confidence level) of luminosity evolution, which is also needed to reproduce correctly the total number and shape of the counts distribution at 1.4 GHz. Analysis of the de-evolved local radio luminosity function shows a good agreement between data and model predictions for this class of sources. Particular care has been devoted to the issue of 'lined' galaxies (i.e. objects presenting in their spectra a continuum typical of early-type galaxies plus emission lines of different nature), which appear as an intermediate class of sources between AGN-dominated and starburst galaxies. Different evolutionary behaviour is seen in the two subpopulations of lined and non-lined low-power radio galaxies, the first class indicating a tendency for the radio luminosity to decrease with look-back time, the second one showing positive evolution. We note that different evolutionary properties also seem to characterize BL Lacs selected in different bands, so that one might envisage an association between lined FR I and the subclass of BL Lacs selected in the X-ray band. Lastly, we find evidence for a negligible contribution of starburst galaxies at these low flux levels.     

射电源的谱指数

文章研究了162个射电源,其中包括了47个BL Lacs ,21个galaxies ,94个平谱射电类星体( FSRQs ) ,这些源是通过Michigan大学的26m的射电望远镜观测的。大多数源都包含了3个波段的观测数据:4 .8GHz ,8GHz和14 .5GHz。文中计算了3个子类的平均的流量密度,并且得到了相应的谱指数(αwei) ,αBL=0 .08±0 .28 ,αGAL=-0 .91±0 .32 ,αFSRQ=-0 .14±0 .4。同时也讨论了这些源的射电性质,其中包含了谱指数,流量密度和红移之间的关系,流量密度和谱指数之间的关系。     

A Peculiar Broad Line Radio Galaxy 1938-155： VLA Observation at 90 cm

We observed 1938-155, a broad line radio galaxy (BLRG), with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 90cm with an angular resolution of 6.8" × 4.0". The source consists of two components separated by 4 arcsec (- 20kpc, for H0 = 65km s-1 Mpc-1, q0 = 0.5) along the SE-NW direction. Both components show steep-spectra with a similar spectral index α - 0.83 ± 0.07 (Sv ∝ v-α). The bright double components are surrounded by a low-brightness cocoon. The radio properties of the two bright components are consistent with the hot spots produced by twin jets. An upper limit of - 0.0008 for the core dominance parameter (R) is inferred, suggesting there is no prominent radio core in the source. Assuming a modest viewing angle 30f77, a jet velocity is estimated - 0.07 c, based on the jet to counter-jet brightness ratio (J). The lower limit in jet speed inferred is consistent with no Doppler beaming effect on the jet. The radio galaxy 1938-155 could be an exceptional BLRG with no prominent radio core or jet.