The first estimate of radio jet proper motion at z > 5
Journal article, 2015

The extremely high-redshift (z = 5.3) radio source SDSS J102623.61+254259.5 (J1026+2542) is among the most distant and most luminous radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) known to date. Its one-sided radio jet structure on milliarcsecond (mas) and similar to 10-mas scales typical for blazars was first imaged at 5 GHz with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) in 2006. Here we report on our dual-frequency (1.7 and 5 GHz) imaging observations performed with the European VLBI Network (EVN) in 2013. The prominent jet structure allows us to identify individual components whose apparent displacement can be detected over the time span of 7.33 yr. This is the first time when jet proper motions are directly derived in a blazar at z > 5. The small values of up to similar to 0.1 mas yr(-1) are consistent with what is expected in a relativistic cosmological model if redshift is a measure of distance. The apparent superluminal jet speeds, considered tentative because derived from two epochs only, exceed 10 c for three different components along the jet. Based on modelling its spectral energy distribution, J1026+2542 is known to have its X-ray jet oriented close to the line of sight, with significant Doppler boosting and a large bulk Lorentz factor (Gamma approximate to 13). The new VLBI observations, indicating similar to 2.3 x 10(12) K lower limit to the core brightness temperature, are consistent with this picture. The spectral index in the core region is -0.35.

Blazar

Kinematics

Expansion

Quasars

Cosmology

Relativistic Jets

Active Galactic Nuclei

Distant

Superluminal Motion

High-Redshift

VLBI

Author

S. Frey

Foldmeresi es Taverzekelesi Intezet, Budapest

Z. Paragi

Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)

Judit Fogasy

Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics

L. I. Gurvits

Delft University of Technology

Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

0035-8711 (ISSN) 1365-2966 (eISSN)

Vol. 446 3 2921-2928

Advanced Radio Astronomy in Europe (RADIONET3)

European Commission (EC) (EC/FP7/283393), 2012-01-01 -- 2015-12-31.

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

DOI

10.1093/mnras/stu2294

More information

Latest update

9/6/2018 2