Zhi-Qiang Shen

Disk-Jet Connection in the Radio Galaxy 3C 120

We present the results of extensive multi-frequency monitoring of the radio galaxy 3C 120 between 2002 and 2007 at X-ray (2-10 keV), optical (R and V bands), and radio (14.5 and 37 GHz) wave bands, as well as imaging with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 43 GHz. Over the 5 yr of observation, significant dips in the X-ray light curve are followed by ejections of bright superluminal knots in the VLBA images. Consistent with this, the X-ray flux and 37 GHz flux are anti-correlated with X-ray leading the radio variations. Furthermore, the total radiative output of a radio flare is related to the equivalent width of the corresponding X-ray dip. This implies that, in this radio galaxy, the radiative state of accretion disk plus corona system, where the X-rays are produced, has a direct effect on the events in the jet, where the radio emission originates. The X-ray power spectral density of 3C 120 shows a break, with steeper slope at shorter timescale and the break timescale is commensurate with the mass of the central black hole (BH) based on observations of Seyfert galaxies and black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs). These findings provide support for the paradigm that BHXRBs and both radio-loud and radio-quiet active galactic nuclei are fundamentally similar systems, with characteristic time and size scales linearly proportional to the mass of the central BH. The X-ray and optical variations are strongly correlated in 3C 120, which implies that the optical emission in this object arises from the same general region as the X-rays, i.e., in the accretion disk-corona system. We numerically model multi-wavelength light curves of 3C 120 from such a system with the optical-UV emission produced in the disk and the X-rays generated by scattering of thermal photons by hot electrons in the corona. From the comparison of the temporal properties of the model light curves to that of the observed variability, we constrain the physical size of the corona and the distances of the emitting regions from the central BH. In addition, we discuss physical scenarios for the disk-jet connection that are consistent with our observations.

A size of ∼ 1 au for the radio source Sgr A* at the centre of the Milky Way

Although it is widely accepted that most galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centres, concrete proof has proved elusive. Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), an extremely compact radio source at the centre of our Galaxy, is the best candidate for proof, because it is the closest. Previous very-long-baseline interferometry observations (at 7 mm wavelength) reported that Sgr A* is ∼2 astronomical units (au) in size, but this is still larger than the ‘shadow’ (a remarkably dim inner region encircled by a bright ring) that should arise from general relativistic effects near the event horizon of the black hole. Moreover, the measured size is wavelength dependent. Here we report a radio image of Sgr A* at a wavelength of 3.5 mm, demonstrating that its size is ∼1 au. When combined with the lower limit on its mass, the lower limit on the mass density is 6.5 × 1021M[circdot] pc-3 (where M[circdot] is the solar mass), which provides strong evidence that Sgr A* is a supermassive black hole. The power-law relationship between wavelength and intrinsic size (size∝wavelength1.09) explicitly rules out explanations other than those emission models with stratified structure, which predict a smaller emitting region observed at a shorter radio wavelength.

NEWLY IDENTIFIED EXTENDED GREEN OBJECTS (EGOs) FROM THE SPITZER GLIMPSE II SURVEY. I. CATALOG

We have produced a catalog containing 98 newly identified massive young stellar object (MYSO) candidates associated with ongoing outflows (known as extended green objects, or EGOs). These have been identified from the Spitzer Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) II data set and our new identifications increase the number of known EGOs to similar to 400 in our Galaxy, adding to the similar to 300 previously identified EGOs reported by Cyganowski et al. from the GLIMPSE I survey. The high detection rate (similar to 70%) of 95 GHz class I methanol masers achieved in a survey toward 57 of these new EGOs with the Mopra 22 m radio telescope demonstrates that the new EGOs are associated with outflows. Investigations of the mid-infrared properties and physical associations with other star formation tracers (e.g., infrared dark clouds, class I and II methanol masers, and millimeter Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey sources) reveal that the newly identified EGOs are very similar in nature to those in the sample of Cyganowski et al. All of the observational evidence supports the hypothesis that EGOs correspond to MYSOs at the earliest evolutionary stage, with ongoing outflow activity, and active rapid accretion.

A 95 GHz CLASS I METHANOL MASER SURVEY TOWARD GLIMPSE EXTENDED GREEN OBJECTS (EGOs)

We report the results of a systematic survey for 95 GHz class I methanol masers toward a new sample of 192 massive young stellar object candidates associated with ongoing outflows (known as extended green objects or EGOs) identified from the Spitzer Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) survey. The observations were made with the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) Mopra 22 m radio telescope and resulted in the detection of 105 new 95 GHz class I methanol masers. For 92 of the sources our observations provide the first identification of a class I maser transition associated with these objects (i.e., they are new class I methanol maser sources). Our survey proves that there is indeed a high detection rate (55%) of class I methanol masers toward EGOs. Comparison of the GLIMPSE point sources associated with EGOs with and without class I methanol maser detections shows that they have similar mid-IR colors, with the majority meeting the color selection criteria -0.6 < [5.8]-[8.0] < 1.4 and 0.5 < [3.6]-[4.5] < 4.0. Investigations of the Infrared Array Camera and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer 24 mu m colors and the associated millimeter dust clump properties (mass and density) of the EGOs for the sub-samples based on the class of methanol masers they are associated with suggest that the stellar mass range associated with class I methanol masers extends to lower masses than for class II methanol masers, or alternatively class I methanol masers may be associated with more than one evolutionary phase during the formation of a high-mass star.

Black hole shadow image and visibility analysis of Sagittarius A

The compact dark objects with very large masses residing at the centres of galaxies are believed to be black holes. Due to the gravitational lensing effect, they would cast a shadow larger than their horizon size over the background; the shape and size of this shadow can be calculated. For the supermassive black hole candidate Sgr A*, this shadow spans an angular size of about 50 μas, which is under the resolution attainable with the current astronomical instruments. Such a shadow image of Sgr A* will be observable at about 1 mm wavelength, considering the scatter broadening by the interstellar medium. By simulating the black hole shadow image of Sgr A* with the radiatively inefficient accretion flow model, we demonstrate that analysing the properties of the visibility function can help us determine some parameters of the black hole configuration, which is instructive for the submillimetre Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of Sgr A* to be made in the near future.

The Dense Plasma Torus around the Nucleus of an Active Galaxy NGC 1052

A subparsec-scale dense plasma torus around an active galactic nucleus is unveiled. We report on very-longbaseline interferometry (VLBI) observations at 2.3, 8.4, and 15.4 GHz towards the active galaxy NGC1052. The convex spectra of the double-sided jets and the nucleus imply that synchrotron emission is obscured through free– free absorption (FFA) by the foreground cold dense plasma. A trichromatic image was produced to illustrate the distribution of the FFA opacity. We found a central condensation of the plasma which covers about 0.1 pc and 0.7 pc of the approaching and receding jets, respectively. A simple explanation for the asymmetric distribution is the existence of a thick plasma torus perpendicular to the jets. We also found an ambient FFA absorber, whose density profile can be ascribed to a spherical distribution of the isothermal King model. The coexistence of torus-like and spherical distributions of the plasma suggests a transition from radial accretion to rotational accretion around the nucleus.

Images of the radiatively inefficient accretion flow surrounding a Kerr black hole: application in Sgr A*

In fully general relativity, we calculate the images of the radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF) surrounding a Kerr black hole (BH) with arbitrary spins, inclination angles, and observational wavelengths. For the same initial conditions, such as the fixed accretion rate, it is found that the intrinsic size and radiation intensity of the images become larger, but the images become more compact in the inner region, while the size of the BH shadow decreases with the increase of the BH spin. With the increase of the inclination angles, the shapes of the BH shadows change and become smaller, even disappear completely due to the obscuration by the thick disks. For median inclination angles, the radial velocity observed at infinity is larger because of both the rotation and radial motion of the fluid in the disk, which results in the luminous part of the images being much brighter. For larger inclination angles, such as the disk is edge-on, the emission becomes dimmer at longer observational wavelengths (such as at 7.0 mm and 3.5 mm wavelengths), or brighter at shorter observational wavelengths (such as at 1.3 mm wavelength) than that of the face on case, except for the high-spin and high-inclination images. These complex behaviors are due to the combination of the Lorentz boosting effect and the radiative absorption in the disk. We hope our results are helpful to determine the spin parameter of the BH in low-luminosity sources, such as the Galactic center. A primary analysis by comparison with the observed sizes of Sgr A* at millimeter wavelengths strongly suggests that the disk around the central BH at Sgr A* is highly inclined or the central BH is rotating fast.

THE RADIO PROPERTIES OF RADIO-LOUD NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXIES ON PARSEC SCALES

We present the detection of compact radio structures of fourteen radio-loud narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies from Very Long Baseline Array observations at 5 GHz, which were performed in 2013. While 50\% of the sources of our sample show a compact core only, the remaining 50\% exhibit a core-jet structure. The measured brightness temperatures of the cores range from

Inward motions of the compact SiO masers around VX Sagittarii

10^{8.4}

TESTING THE ACCRETION FLOW WITH PLASMA WAVE HEATING MECHANISM FOR SAGITTARIUS A* BY THE 1.3 mm VLBI MEASUREMENTS

to