The jet of the BL Lacertae object PKS 2201+044: MAD near-IR adaptive optics observations and comparison with optical, radio and X-ray data
Abstract
Context. Relativistic jets are a common feature of radio loud active galactic nuclei. Multifrequency observations are a unique tool to constrain their physics.
Aims: We report on a detailed study of the properties of the jet of the nearby BL Lac object PKS 2201+044, one of the rare cases where the jet is detected from radio to X-rays.
Methods: We use new adaptive optics near-IR observations of the source, obtained with the ESO multi-conjugated adaptive optics demonstrator (MAD) at the Very Large Telescope. These observations acquired in Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics mode are combined with images previously achieved by HST, VLA and Chandra to perform a morphological and photometric study of the jet.
Results: We find a noticeable similarity in the morphology of the jet at radio, near-IR and optical wavelengths. We construct the spectral shape of the main knot of jet that appears dominated by synchrotron radiation.
Conclusions: On the basis of the jet morphology and the weak lines spectrum we suggest that PKS 2201+044 belongs to the class of radio sources intermediate between FRIs and FRIIs.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- April 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201015570
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1012.3620
- Bibcode:
- 2011A&A...528A..34L
- Keywords:
-
- BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 2201+044;
- instrumentation: adaptive optics;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for pubblication in A&