VLBI Research Articles

Multiplicity of Galactic Cepheids from long-baseline interferometry V. High-accuracy orbital parallax and mass of SU Cygni

We aim to accurately measure the dynamical mass and distance of Cepheids by combining radial velocity measurements with interferometric observations. Cepheid mass measurements are particularly necessary for solving the Cepheid mass discrepancy, while independent distance determinations provide a crucial test of the period--luminosity relation and Gaia parallaxes. We used the multi-telescope interferometric combiner, the Michigan InfraRed Combiner (MIRC) of the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array, to detect and measure the astrometric positions of the high-contrast companion orbiting the Galactic Cepheid SU Cygni. We also present new radial velocity measurements from ultraviolet spectra taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. The combination of interferometric astrometry with optical and ultraviolet spectroscopy provided the full orbital elements of the system, in addition to component masses and the distance to the Cepheid system. We measured the mass of the Cepheid, $M_A = and its two companions Ba and Bb This is the most accurate existing measurement of the mass of a Galactic Cepheid ( Comparing with stellar evolution models, we show that the mass predicted by the tracks is higher than the measured mass of the Cepheid, which is similar to the conclusions of our previous work. We also measured the distance to the system to be $ obtaining an unprecedented parallax precision of $ which is the most precise and accurate distance for a Cepheid. This precision is similar to what is expected by Gaia for its last data release (DR5 in $ 2030$) for single stars fainter than $G = 13$, but is not guaranteed for stars as bright as SU Cyg. We demonstrate that evolutionary models remain incapable of accurately reproducing the measured mass of Cepheids, often predicting higher masses for the expected metallicity, even when factors such as rotation or convective core overshooting are taken into account. Our precise distance measurement allowed us to compare predictions from some period--luminosity relations. We find a disagreement of 0.2-0.5\,mag with relations calibrated from photometry, while relations calibrated from a direct distance measurement are in better agreement.

Study on the Feasibility and Performance Evaluation of High-Orbit Spacecraft Orbit Determination Based on GNSS/SLR/VLBI

Deep space exploration utilizing high-orbit vehicles is a vital approach for extending beyond near-Earth space, with orbit information serving as the foundation for all functional capabilities. The performance of orbit determination is primarily influenced by observation types, errors, geometrical structures, and physical perturbations. Currently, research on orbit determination for high-orbit spacecraft predominantly focuses on single observation methods, error characteristics, multi-source fusion techniques, and algorithms. However, these approaches often suffer from low observation accuracy and increased costs. This paper advocates for the comprehensive utilization of existing multi-source observation methods, such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging), and VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry), in research. The decoupled Kalman filter reveals a positive correlation between measurement positioning accuracy and orbit determination accuracy, and it derives a simple orbit performance evaluation model that considers the influence of observation value types and geometric configurations, without the need to introduce complex dynamic models. Simulations are then employed to verify and analyze antenna gain, observation values, and performance evaluation. The results indicate the following: (1) Under simulated conditions, the optimal strategy involves employing the SLR/VLBI dual system during periods when VLBI orbit determination is feasible, yielding an average Weighted Position Dilution of Precision (WPDOP) of 26.79. (2) For periods when VLBI orbit determination is not feasible, the optimal approach is to utilize the GNSS/SLR/VLBI triple system, resulting in an average WPDOP of 16.32. (3) The orbit determination performance of the triple system is not significantly impacted by the use of global SLR stations compared to using only Chinese SLR stations. However, the global network enables continuous, round-the-clock orbit determination capabilities.

A millisecond pulsar position determined to 0.2 mas precision with VLBI

Context. Precise millisecond pulsar (MSP) positions determined with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) hold the key to building the connection between the kinematic and dynamic reference frames respectively used for VLBI and pulsar timing. A frame connection would provide an important pathway to examining the planetary ephemerides used in pulsar timing, and would potentially enhance the sensitivities of the pulsar timing arrays used to detect stochastic gravitational-wave background in the nano-Hz regime. Aims. We aim to significantly improve the precision of the VLBI-based MSP position (from >1 mas at present) by reducing the two dominant components in the positional uncertainty – the propagation-related uncertainty and the uncertainty resulting from the frequency-dependent core shifts of the reference sources. Methods. We introduce a new differential astrometry strategy called PINPT (Phase-screen Interpolation plus frequeNcy-dePendent core shifT correction; pronounced “pinpoint”), which entails the use of multiple calibrators observed at several widely separated frequencies. The strategy allows determination of the core shift and mitigates the impact of residual delay in the atmosphere. We implemented the strategy on PSR J2222-0137, an MSP that is well constrained astrometrically with VLBI and pulsar timing. Results. Using the PINPT strategy, we determined core shifts for four AGNs around PSR J2222-0137, and derived a VLBI-based pulsar position with uncertainties of 0.17 mas and 0.32 mas in Right Ascension and Declination, respectively, approaching the uncertainty level of the best-determined timing-based MSP positions. Additionally, incorporating the new observations into historical ones, we refined the pulsar proper motion and the parallax-based distance to the <10 µas yr-1 level and the subparsec level, respectively. Conclusions. The realization of the PINPT strategy promises a factor-of-five positional precision enhancement (over conventional VLBI astrometry) for all kinds of compact radio sources observed at <2 GHz, including most fast radio bursts.

Polarization of active galactic nuclei with significant VLBI-Gaia displacements

Context. Numerous studies have reported significant displacements in the coordinates of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) between measurements using the very-long-baseline-interferometry (VLBI) technique and those obtained by the Gaia space observatory. There is consensus that these discrepancies do indeed manifest astrometrically resolved sub-components of AGNs rather than random measurement noise. Among other evidence, it has been reported that AGNs with VLBI-to-Gaia displacements (VGDs) pointing downstream of their parsec-scale radio jets exhibit higher optical polarization compared to sources with the opposite (upstream) VGD orientation. Aims. We aim to verify the previously reported connection between optical polarization and a VGD-jet angle using a larger dataset of polarimetric measurements and updated Gaia DR3 positions. We also seek further evidence supporting the disk-jet dichotomy as an explanation of such a connection by using millimeter-wave polarization and multiband optical polarization measurements. Methods. We performed optical polarimetric observations of 152 AGNs using three telescopes. These data are complemented by other publicly available polarimetric measurements of AGNs. We cross-matched public astrometric data from VLBI and Gaia experiments, obtained corresponding positional displacements, and combined this catalog with the polarimetric and jet direction data. Results. Active galactic nuclei with downstream VGDs are confirmed to have significantly higher optical fractional polarization than the upstream sample. At the same time, the millimeter-wavelength polarization of the two samples shows very similar distributions. Conclusions. Our results support the hypothesis that the VGDs pointing down the radio jet are likely caused by a component in the jet emitting highly polarized synchrotron radiation and dominating in the overall optical emission. The upstream-oriented VGDs are likely to be produced by the low-polarization emission of the central engine’s subcomponents, which dominate in the optical.

Modeling of Long-term Afterglow Counterparts to Gravitational Wave Events: The Full View of GRB 170817A

The arrival of gravitational wave astronomy and a growing number of time-domain-focused observatories are set to lead to an increasing number of detections of short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) launched with a moderate inclination to Earth. Being nearby events, these are also prime candidates for very long-term follow-up campaigns and very long-baseline interferometry, which has implications for multi-messenger modeling, data analysis, and statistical inference methods applied to these sources. Here, we present a comprehensive modeling update that directly incorporates into afterglowpy astrometric observations of the GRB position, Poissonian statistics for faint sources, and modeling of a trans-relativistic population of electrons. We use the revolutionary event GW170817 to demonstrate the impact of these extensions both for the best-fit physics parameters and model selection methods that assess the statistical significance of additional late-time emission components. By including in our analysis the latest Chandra X-ray observations of GRB 170817A, we find only weak evidence (≲2σ) for a new emission component at late times, which makes for a slightly more natural fit to the centroid evolution and prediction for the external medium density.

A Geodetic and Astrometric VLBI Experiment at 22/43/88/132 GHz

Extending geodetic and astrometric Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations from traditional centimeter wavebands to millimeter wavebands offers numerous scientific potentials and benefits. However, it was considered quite challenging due to various factors, including the increased effects of atmospheric opacity and turbulence at millimeter wavelengths. Here, we present the results of the first geodetic-mode VLBI experiment, simultaneously observing 82 sources at 22/43/88/132 GHz (K/Q/W/D bands) using the Korean VLBI Network (KVN). We introduced the frequency phase transfer (FPT) method to geodetic VLBI analysis, an approach for calibrating atmospheric phase fluctuations at higher frequencies by transferring phase solutions from lower frequencies. With a 2 minute scan, FPT improved the signal-to-noise ratio of most fringes, some by over 100%, thereby enhancing the detection rate of weak sources at millimeter wavebands. Additionally, FPT reduced systematic errors in group delay and delay rate, with the weighted root mean squares (WRMS) of the postfitting residuals decreasing from 25.0 to 20.5 ps at the W band and from 39.3 to 27.6 ps at the D band. There were no notable differences observed in calibrating atmospheric phase fluctuations at the K band (WRMS = 12.4 ps) and Q band (WRMS = 11.8 ps). This experiment demonstrated that the millimeter waveband can be used for geodetic and astrometric applications with high precision.

Bayesian self-calibration and imaging in very long baseline interferometry

Context. Self-calibration methods with the CLEAN algorithm have been widely employed in very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) data processing in order to correct antenna-based amplitude and phase corruptions present in the data. However, human interaction during the conventional CLEAN self-calibration process can impose a strong effective prior, which in turn may produce artifacts within the final image and hinder the reproducibility of final results. Aims. In this work, we aim to demonstrate a combined self-calibration and imaging method for VLBI data in a Bayesian inference framework. The method corrects for amplitude and phase gains for each antenna and polarization mode by inferring the temporal correlation of the gain solutions. Methods. We use Stokes I data of M87 taken with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at43 GHz, pre-calibrated using the rPICARD CASA-based pipeline. For antenna-based gain calibration and imaging, we use the Bayesian imaging software resolve. To estimate gain and image uncertainties, we use a variational inference method. Results. We obtain a high-resolution M87 Stokes I image at 43 GHz in conjunction with antenna-based gain solutions using our Bayesian self-calibration and imaging method. The core with counter-jet structure is better resolved, and extended jet emission is better described compared to the CLEAN reconstruction. Furthermore, uncertainty estimation of the image and antenna-based gains allows us to quantify the reliability of the result. Conclusions. Our Bayesian self-calibration and imaging method is able to reconstruct robust and reproducible Stokes I images and gain solutions with uncertainty estimation by taking into account the uncertainty information in the data.

Prospects of Detecting a Jet in Sagittarius A* with Very-long-baseline Interferometry

Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) images of the horizon-scale emission around the Galactic center supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) favor accretion flow models with a jet component. However, this jet has not been conclusively detected. Using the “best-bet” models of Sgr A* from the EHT Collaboration, we assess whether this nondetection is expected for current facilities and explore the prospects of detecting a jet with very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) at four frequencies: 86, 115, 230, and 345 GHz. We produce synthetic image reconstructions for current and next-generation VLBI arrays at these frequencies that include the effects of interstellar scattering, optical depth, and time variability. We find that no existing VLBI arrays are expected to detect the jet in these best-bet models, consistent with observations to date. We show that next-generation VLBI arrays at 86 and 115 GHz—in particular, the EHT after upgrades through the ngEHT program and the ngVLA—successfully capture the jet in our tests due to improvements in instrument sensitivity and (u, v) coverage at spatial scales critical to jet detection. These results highlight the potential of enhanced VLBI capabilities in the coming decade to reveal the crucial properties of Sgr A* and its interaction with the Galactic center environment.

Pathfinding Pulsar Observations with the CVN Incorporating the FAST

Abstract The importance of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) for pulsar research is becoming increasingly prominent and receiving more and more attention. We present the pathfinding pulsar observation results with the Chinese VLBI Network (CVN) incorporating the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). On MJD 60045 (11th April 2023), PSRs B0919+06 and B1133+16 were observed with the phase-referencing mode in the L-band using four radio telescopes (FAST, TianMa, Haoping, and Nanshan) and correlated with the pulsar binning mode of the distributed FX-style software correlator in Shanghai. After further data processing with the NRAO Astronomical Image Processing System (AIPS), we detected these two pulsars and fitted their current positions with accuracy at the milliarcsecond level. By comparison, our results show significantly better agreement with predicted values based on historical VLBI observations than those with previous timing observations, as pulsar astrometry with the VLBI provides a more direct and model-independent method for accurately obtaining related parameters.

Discovery of Limb Brightening in the Parsec-scale Jet of NGC 315 through Global Very Long Baseline Interferometry Observations and Its Implications for Jet Models

We report the first observation of the nearby giant radio galaxy NGC 315 using a global very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) array consisting of 22 radio antennas located across five continents, including high-sensitivity stations, at 22 GHz. Utilizing the extensive u v-coverage provided by the array, coupled with the application of a recently developed superresolution imaging technique based on the regularized maximum-likelihood method, we were able to transversely resolve the NGC 315 jet at parsec scales for the first time. Previously known for its central ridge-brightened morphology at similar scales in former VLBI studies, the jet now clearly exhibits a limb-brightened structure. This finding suggests an inherent limb brightening that was not observable before due to limited angular resolution. Considering that the jet is viewed at an angle of ∼50°, the observed limb brightening is challenging to reconcile with the magnetohydrodynamic models and simulations, which predict that the Doppler-boosted jet edges should dominate over the nonboosted central layer. The conventional jet model that proposes a fast spine and a slow sheath with uniform transverse emissivity may pertain to our observations. However, in this model, the relativistic spine would need to travel at speeds of Γ ≳ 6.0–12.9 along the deprojected jet distance of (2.3–10.8) × 103 gravitational radii from the black hole. We propose an alternative scenario that suggests higher emissivity at the jet boundary layer, resulting from more efficient particle acceleration or mass loading onto the jet edges, and consider prospects for future observations with even higher angular resolution.

Mapping the Distribution of the Magnetic Field Strength along the NGC 315 Jet

We study magnetic field strengths along the jet in NGC 315. First, we estimated the angular velocity of rotation in the jet magnetosphere by comparing the measured velocity profile of NGC 315 with the magnetohydrodynamic jet model proposed by Tomimatsu and Takahashi. Similar to the case of M87, we find that the model can reproduce the logarithmic feature of the velocity profile and suggest a slowly rotating black hole magnetosphere for NGC 315. By substituting the estimated Ω F into the jet power predicted by the Blandford–Znajek mechanism, we estimate the magnetic field strength near the event horizon of the central black hole as 5 × 103 G ≲ B H ≲ 2 × 104 G. We then estimate magnetic field strengths along the jet by comparing the spectral index distribution obtained from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations with a synchrotron-emitting jet model. Then we constrain the magnetic field strength at a deprojected distance z from the black hole to be in the range 0.06 G ≲ B(z) ≲ 0.9 G for 5.2 × 103 r g ≲ z ≲ 4.9 × 104 r g , where r g represents the gravitational radius. By combining the obtained field strengths at the event horizon and the downstream section of the jet, we find that the accretion flow at the jet base is consistent with a magnetically arrested disk. We discuss a comparison of the jet power and the magnetic flux anchored to the event horizon in NGC 315 and M87.

On the Integration of VLBI Observations to GENESIS into Global VGOS Operations

The upcoming European Space Agency (ESA) satellite mission GENESIS is an Earth-orbiting satellite carrying instruments of all four space geodetic techniques. The onboard transmitter for Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) will allow the observation of the satellite with VLBI radio telescopes. The objective of this study is to investigate the integration of VLBI observations of GENESIS into the operations of the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). Based on both current and foreseeable modern VGOS antenna networks, we consider the realistic observability of both geodetic radio sources and GENESIS. We conduct a comprehensive scheduling and perform extensive simulations of the VLBI observations. We assume that observations of GENESIS are scheduled within regular, geodetic experiments. The integration of GENESIS as an additional source in the scheduling results in a minimal degradation in the geodetic parameter estimation of station positions and dUT1 of less than 0.09 mm and 0.06 μs, respectively. The results suggest to schedule scans of GENESIS at intervals of about 5 min to limit the decrease in the number of observations of geodetic sources to less than 5% with respect to schedules containing only geodetic radio sources. The schedules for 24 h experiments comprise about 150 to 200 scans and 1000 to 5000 observations of GENESIS, depending on the size of the utilized network. The frame tie accuracy between the VLBI and GENESIS frames is assessed in the form of station positions, which are solely estimated from observations of GENESIS. Multiple 24 h experiments are simulated over 52 weeks with assumed session cadences of two to three experiments per week. By stacking the normal equations from three months of experiments, we obtain station position estimates with a precision of less than 10 mm. After 12 months, the repeatabilites are reduced to less than 5 mm.

First Very Long Baseline Interferometry Detections at 870 μm

The first very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) detections at 870 μm wavelength (345 GHz frequency) are reported, achieving the highest diffraction-limited angular resolution yet obtained from the surface of the Earth and the highest-frequency example of the VLBI technique to date. These include strong detections for multiple sources observed on intercontinental baselines between telescopes in Chile, Hawaii, and Spain, obtained during observations in 2018 October. The longest-baseline detections approach 11 Gλ, corresponding to an angular resolution, or fringe spacing, of 19 μas. The Allan deviation of the visibility phase at 870 μm is comparable to that at 1.3 mm on the relevant integration timescales between 2 and 100 s. The detections confirm that the sensitivity and signal chain stability of stations in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) array are suitable for VLBI observations at 870 μm. Operation at this short wavelength, combined with anticipated enhancements of the EHT, will lead to a unique high angular resolution instrument for black hole studies, capable of resolving the event horizons of supermassive black holes in both space and time.

Diurnal and semi-diurnal effects of ocean tides on polar motion and UT1: An updated assessment

We revisit the computation of diurnal and semidiurnal effects of the ocean tide on Polar Motion (PM) and UT1 considering the principal waves of the Ocean Tidal Angular Momentum (OTAM) calculated from the FES 2014 ocean tide atlas. We take into account the recent development of polar motion theory, especially the frequency dependence of the transfer functions in (sub-) diurnal bands. The method of calculating the minor waves is also carefully studied and modified: instead of an interpolation based on neighboring waves, we propose a frequency dependent expression obtained by a linear fit to the admittances and phases of principal waves. Compared in time domain with polar motion (PM) and UT1 derived from Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations, our model performs as well as the recent Desai-Sibois model computed from TPXO8 tidal atlas. The impact of diurnal and semi-diurnal oscillations produced by the luni-solar tidal torque on the asymmetric mean mass distribution of the Earth are observed in the corresponding residuals, which is not the case for the older PM/UT1 model recommended in IERS Convention 2010. More generally, we conclude that tidal modelling of sub-daily terms and corresponding empirical developments are consistent to within 23 μas for PM and 3 μs for UT1. In parallel, the effects based on TPXO8 OTAM waves are recalculated according to our method, and present the best agreement with the observations. Our tables, calculated from FES 2014 or TPXO8 OTAM, can be truncated to the 48 or 50 terms with amplitudes above 1 μas for PM or 0.1 μs for UT1 to describe those Earth rotation Parameters in a way consistent with their current observation uncertainties.

Revealing faint compact radio jets at redshifts above 5 with very long baseline interferometry

Over the past two decades, our knowledge of the high-redshift $(z>5)$ radio quasars has expanded, thanks to dedicated high-resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. Distant quasars provide unique information about the formation and evolution of the first galaxies and supermassive black holes in the Universe. Powerful relativistic jets are likely to have played an essential role in these processes. However, the sample of VLBI-observed radio quasars is still too small to allow meaningful statistical conclusions. We extend the list of the VLBI observed radio quasars to investigate how the source structure and physical parameters are related to radio loudness. We assembled a sample of ten faint radio quasars located at $5 < z < 6$ with their radio-loudness indices spanning between $0.9-76$. We observed the selected targets with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.7 GHz. The milliarcsecond-scale resolution of VLBI at this frequency allowed us to probe the compact innermost parts of radio-emitting relativistic jets. In addition to the single-band VLBI observations, we collected single-dish and low-resolution radio interferometric data to investigate the spectral properties and variability of our sources. The detection rate of this high-redshift, low-flux-density sample is $90<!PCT!>$, with only one target (J0306$+$1853) remaining undetected. The other nine sources appear core-dominated and show a single, faint and compact radio core on this angular scale. The derived radio powers are typical of Fanaroff-Riley II radio galaxies and quasars. By extending our sample with other VLBI-detected $z > 5$ sources from the literature, we found that the core brightness temperatures and monochromatic radio powers tend to increase with radio loudness.

Swarm intelligence for full Stokes dynamic imaging reconstruction of interferometric data

Context. In very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), the combination of multiple antennas permits the synthesis of a virtual telescope with a larger diameter and consequently higher resolution than the individual antennas. However, due to the sparse nature of the array, recovering an image from the observed data is a challenging ill-posed inverse problem. Aims. The VLBI community is interested in not only recovering an image in total intensity from interferometric data, but also in obtaining results in the polarimetric and the temporal domain. Only a few algorithms are able to work in all these domains simultaneously. In particular, the algorithms based on optimization that consider various penalty terms specific to static total intensity imaging, time-variability and polarimetry are restricted to grids in the domain of the objective function. In this work we present a novel algorithm, multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MO-PSO), that is able to recover the optimal weights without any space-gridding, and to obtain the marginal contribution of each of the playing terms. Methods. To this end, we utilized multiobjective optimization together with particle swarm metaheuristics. We let the swarm of weights converge to the best position. Results. We evaluate our algorithm with synthetic data sets that are representative for the main science targets and instrumental configuration of the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration (EHTC) and its planned successors. We successfully recover the polarimetric, static, and time-dynamic signature of the ground truth movie' even with relative sparsity, and a set of realistic data corruptions. Conclusions. We have built a novel, fast, hyperparameter space gridding-free algorithm that successfully recovers static and dynamic polarimetric reconstructions. Compared to regularized maximum likelihood (RML) methods, it avoids the need for parameter surveys, and it is not limited to the number of pixels, unlike recently proposed multiobjective imaging algorithms. Hence, this technique is a novel useful alternative tool to characterize full Stokes time-(in)dependent signatures in a VLBI data set robustly with a minimal set of user-based choices.

Turbulent circumnuclear disc and cold gas outflow in the newborn radio source 4C 31.04

We present deep kiloparsec- and parsec-scale neutral atomic hydrogen (H I) absorption observations of a very young radio source (≤5000 years), 4C 31.04, using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) and the Global Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) array. Using z = 0.0598, derived from molecular gas observations, we detect, at both kpc and pc scales, a broad absorption feature (FWZI = 360 km s−1) centred at the systemic velocity, and narrow absorption (FWZI = 6.6 km s−1) redshifted by 220 km s−1, both previously observed. Additionally, we detect a new blueshifted, broad, shallow absorption wing. At pc scales, the broad absorption at the systemic velocity is detected across the entire radio source while the shallow wing is only seen against part of the eastern lobe. The gas has higher H I column density along the eastern lobe than along the western one. The velocity dispersion of the gas is high (≥40 km s−1) along the entire radio continuum, and is highest (≥60 km s−1) in the region including the outflow and the radio hot spot. While we detect a velocity gradient along the western lobe and parts of the eastern lobe at PA ∼ 5° −10°, most of the gas along the rest of the eastern lobe exhibits no signs of rotation. Earlier optical spectroscopy suggests that the optical AGN is very weak. We therefore conclude that the radio lobes of 4C 31.04 are expanding into a circumnuclear disc, partially disrupting it and making the gas highly turbulent. The distribution of gas is predominantly smooth at the spatial resolution of ∼4 pc studied here. However, clumps of gas are also present, particularly along the eastern lobe. This lobe appears to be strongly interacting with the clouds and driving an outflow ∼35 pc from the radio core, with a mass-outflow rate of 0.3 ≤ Ṁ ≤ 1.4 M⊙ year−1. It is likely that this interaction has caused the eastern lobe to be rebrightened, giving the source an asymmetric morphology. We compare our observations with the predictions of a recent analytical model regarding the survival of atomic gas clouds in radio-jet-driven outflows and find that the existence of a subkpc-scale outflow in this case could imply inefficient mixing of the cold gas with the hot medium and high gas density, leading to very short cooling times. Overall, our study provides further evidence of the strong impact of radio jets on the cold interstellar medium (ISM) in the early stages of their evolution and supports the predictions of numerical simulations regarding jet–ISM interactions and the nature of the circumnuclear gas into which the jets expand.

Multifrequency Analysis of Favored Models for the Messier 87* Accretion Flow

The polarized images of the supermassive black hole Messier 87* (M87*) produced by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) provide a direct view of the near-horizon emission from a black hole accretion and jet system. The EHT theoretical analysis of the polarized M87* images compared thousands of snapshots from numerical models with a variety of spins, magnetization states, viewing inclinations, and electron energy distributions, and found a small subset consistent with the observed image. In this article, we examine two models favored by EHT analyses: a magnetically arrested disk with moderate retrograde spin and a magnetically arrested disk with high prograde spin. Both have electron distribution functions that lead to strong depolarization by cold electrons. We ray trace five snapshots from each model at 22, 43, 86, 230, 345, and 690 GHz to forecast future very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations and examine limitations in numerical models. We find that even at low frequencies where optical and Faraday rotation depths are large, approximately rotationally symmetric polarization persists, suggesting that shallow depths dominate the polarization signal. However, morphology and spectra suggest that the assumed thermal electron distribution is not adequate to describe emission from the jet. We find 86 GHz images show a ringlike shape determined by a combination of plasma and spacetime imprints, smaller in diameter than recent results from the Global mm-VLBI Array. We find that the photon ring becomes more apparent with increasing frequency, and is more apparent in the retrograde model, leading to large differences between models in asymmetry and polarization structure.

BLACK HOLE CINEMA: APPLICATION OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING METHODS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE AN EARTH‐SIZED TELESCOPE

AbstractThe Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is an array of radio telescopes around the world that uses the technique of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) to create a virtual Earth‐sized telescope. Using this technique, the EHT released the first image of a black hole on April 10, 2019, accelerating black hole science and creating enormous public impact. Now, a team of scientists and engineers is looking ahead to the next horizon: movies of black holes. In this paper, we give an overview of how the next‐generation EHT (ngEHT) Project has adopted a systems engineering approach to the design of future improvements to the EHT array, developing clear traceability from community‐defined key science goals. Scheduling, operations, site selection, observing bandwidth, data transport, and data management are some of the many factors that require careful consideration and balance and therefore benefit from intentional systems engineering methods underpinned by a “single source of truth” system model.

Prospects for the Detection of the Sgr A* Photon Ring with Next-generation Event Horizon Telescope Polarimetry

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has imaged two supermassive black holes, Messier 87* (M87*) and Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), using very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI). The theoretical analyses of each source suggest magnetically arrested disk (MAD) accretion viewed at modest inclination. These MADs exhibit rotationally symmetric polarization of synchrotron emission caused by symmetries of their ordered magnetic fields. We leverage these symmetries to study the detectability of the black hole photon ring, which imposes known antisymmetries in polarization. In this Letter, we propose a novel observational strategy based on coherent baseline averaging of polarization ratios On a rotating basis to detect the photon ring with 345 GHz VLBI from the Earth’s surface. Using synthetic observations from a likely future EHT, we find a reversal in polarimetric phases on long baselines that reveals the presence of the Sgr A* photon ring in a MAD system at 345 GHz, a critical frequency for lengthening baselines and overcoming interstellar scattering. We use our synthetic data and analysis pipeline to estimate requirements for the EHT using a new metric: SNRPR, the signal-to-noise ratio of this polarimetric reversal signal. We identify long, coherent integrations using frequency phase transfer as a critical enabling technique for the detection of the photon ring and predict a SNRPR ∼ 2−3 detection using proposed next-generation Event Horizon Telescope parameters and currently favored models for the Sgr A* accretion flow. We find that higher sensitivity, rather than denser Fourier sampling, is the most critical requirement for polarimetric detection of the photon ring.