The compact structure of intermediate BL Lac objects
Abstract
We request 24 hours of eVLBI at 1.4 GHz to observe a sample of 15 southern BL Lac objects for which no high resolution radio data are currently available. The sources, identified in the ``Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS)'' span the intermediate range of spectral energy distributions between ``classical'' X-ray selected and radio-selected samples of BL Lacs. Detailed studies of such an intermediate sample are needed to answer some of the currently open questions regarding the origin of different observed spectral energy distributions in BL Lacs, and their place in a unified model of AGN. High-resolution radio imaging is essential in order to disentangle the effects of different viewing angles, intrinsic jet power and environment of the AGN host galaxies, all of which influence the observed broad-band properties of BL Lacs. Radio core dominance is an indication of viewing angle, while the extended flux density distribution provides an estimate of intrinsic jet power. The proposed LBA observations, combined with ATCA data, will allow study of the compact, sub-arcsecond "core" and extended flux density distribution, complementing existing data on the northern DXBRS BL Lacs from the VLA and MERLIN.
- Publication:
-
ATNF Proposal
- Pub Date:
- October 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008atnf.prop.1870B
- Keywords:
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- Extragalactic;
- LBA