Fine Structure of the Core of the Blazar OJ 287. II. Wavelength 2 cm

We have continued our studies of the fine structure of the active region in the blazar OJ 287 at wavelength λ = 2cm with a resolution of 20 μas, the epochs of 1995–2017. We have identified fragments of two arms along which the surrounding plasma comes to the nozzle. The brightness temperature of the flows rises as the nozzle is approached to T_b ? 10¹² K. The high-velocity bipolar outflow surrounded by lowvelocity components carries away an excess angular momentum as it is accumulated. The high collimation and helicity of the flows are determined by rotation and precession, respectively. Ring currents responsible for the longitudinal magnetic fields are excited in the flows. The jet and counterjet are a mirror reflection of each other; the difference in sizes is determined by the acceleration/deceleration of the flows along/opposite to the magnetic field. The velocity of the high-velocity outflow is v ? 0.06 c. The brightness temperature of the nozzle reaches T_b ? 10¹⁴ K. The spectral index of the southern and northern nozzles is α ≈ 0.66 and ≈0.4, respectively; the difference is determined by absorption in the bulge. The separation between the nozzles is 12 μas or 0.05 pc. The central region of reduced brightness with a diameter ? ≈ 3.6 pc corresponds to the bulge inclined toward the jet at an angle of 65° to the plane of the sky. The counterjet is ejected toward the observer; the jet is ejected in the opposite direction and is visible outside the bulge from a distance of 1.5 pc. The structure and kinematics of the bulge correspond to a vortex nature. An enhanced supply of matter from the northern arm in the middle of 2000 increased the activity of the low-velocity nozzle. A secondary vortex located at a distance of 0.28 mas (1.3 pc) was formed. The high-velocity flow is ejected in a direction of ?110°.     

Active zone of the nucleus of the quasar 3C 273

The superfine structure of the quasar 3C 273 has been investigated at wavelengths λ = 2 and 6 cm with angular resolutions up to φ = 20 μas for epochs 2005–2014. We have identified a nozzle and a bipolar outflow: a jet and a counterjet consisting of coaxial high- and low-velocity components. The separation between the nozzles in the plane of the sky is Δρ = 0.84 ± 0.16 pc; the flow ejection velocity is v ≤ 0.1c. The nozzle brightness temperature reaches T _b ≈ 45 × 10¹² K, φ = 20 μas, λ = 2 cm. The ejected electrons radiatively cool at a distance up to ≤4 pc. However, the jet afterglow is observed at a 8% level at a distance up to ρ ≈ 16 pc; the acceleration compensates for the radiative losses. The reduction in the emission level of the central flow at large distances determines the jet bifurcation. The counterjet shape is a mirror reflection of the initial part of the jet, suggesting a symmetry and identity of the ejected flows. The counterjet and jet nozzles are in the near and remote parts of the active region, respectively. The emission from the nozzles is absorbed by a factor of 2 and 15, respectively. The absorption decreases with increasing distance and the brightness of the jet fragments rises to its maximum at 0.5 pc from the nozzle. Arclike structures, arm fragments, are observed in the region of the nozzles. The relativistic plasma comes to the nozzles and is ejected. The brightness temperature of the arclike structures reaches 10% of the peak value, which is determined by the a smaller optical depth, the visibility in the transverse direction. The central high-velocity flow is surrounded by low-velocity components, hollow tubes being ejected as an excess angular momentum is accumulated. The remainder of the material flows along the arms toward the disk center until the next accumulation of an excess angular momentum and the process is repeated. The diameter of the outer nozzle is Ø = 25 pc and, further out, decreases exponentially; Ø _n ≈ 80 exp(?1.15n) pc. The flow kinematics, collimation, and acceleration have a vortical nature. Ring currents producing magnetic fields, which accelerate and stabilize the processes, are generated in the rotating flows (tubes). The tangential directions of the currents are observed as parallel chains of components.     

Fine structure of the nucleus of the galaxy NGC 1275

The fine structure of the nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1275 was investigated in 2005–2010 at a wavelength of 2 cm with a resolution as high as 50 μas. The structure consists of two parallel identical systems, eastern and western, spaced 0.5 pc apart in the plane of the sky. Each of them contains an ejector and a bipolar outflow. There are extended regions, lobes, at the extension of the bipolar outflows in the ?10° and 170° directions at distances of 5 pc northward and 6.5 pc southward of the active zone. The observed difference between the jet and counterjet sizes by a factor of ~3 and between the distances to the lobes by a factor of 0.8 is determined by the difference between their velocities and by the change of sign of the outflow acceleration in the period of silence. The high-velocity bipolar outflows are surrounded by three pairs of low-velocity components. The diameters of the low-velocity coaxial outflows and the third component are Ø₁ ≈ 0.3 pc, Ø₂ ≈ 0.8 pc, and Ø₃ ≈ 1.4 pc at the detection limit. The outer low-velocity components of the outflows encompass both high-velocity outflows. The velocities of the outflows and their brightness temperatures increase exponentially as the center of the high-velocity outflows is approached. The brightness temperatures of the high-velocity outflows at the ejector exit are T _b > 1012 K. The spectral line velocities in the nuclear region differ by ~600 km s^?1 due to the velocity difference between the two systems. In the case of Keplerian motion, the revolution period is ~5 × 10³ yr, and the mass of the central massive bodies, black holes, is M ≈ 10⁷M_⊙. The fine structure suggests a vortical nature of the formation. In the case under consideration, two parallel vortices spaced ~0.5 pc apart and shifted by ~0.5 pc relative to each other were formed. The surrounding material inflows onto the disk of each system, is transferred in a spiral to the center, and is ejected in the ?10° and 170° directions as an excess angular momentum is accumulated. The interaction with the surrounding medium accelerates and collimates the rotating outflows. The residual material falls to the forming central massive body, a black hole, whose gravitational field stabilizes and accelerates the system formation process.     

Kinematics of the active region of the quasar 3C 345

The fine structure of the quasar 3C 345 in polarized emission at 7 mm and 2 cm has been investigated. The kinematics is shown to correspond to an anticentrifuge: the thermal plasma of the surrounding space accretes onto the disk, flows to the center, and is ejected in the form of a rotating bipolar outflow that carries away the excess angular momentum as it accumulates. The bipolar outflow consists of a high-velocity central jet surrounded by a low-velocity component. The low-velocity flows are the rotating hollow tubes ejected from the peripheral part of the disk with a diameter ～Ø₁ = 2.2 pc and from the region Ø₂ = 1 pc. The high-velocity jet with a diameter Ø₃ = 0.2 pc is ejected from the central part of the disk, while the remnant falls onto the forming central body. The ejection velocity of the high-velocity flow is v ? 0.06c. At a distance up to ～1 pc, the jet accelerates to an apparent velocity v ～ 8c. Further out, uniform motion is observed within ～2 pc following which deceleration occurs. The jet structure corresponding to a conical diverging helix with an increasing pitch is determined by gasdynamic instability. The counterjet structure is a mirror reflection of the nearby part of the jet. The brightness temperature of the fragment of the high-velocity flow at the exit from the counterjet nozzle is T _b ≈ (10¹²?10¹³) K. The disk inclined at an angle of 60° to the plane of the sky shadows the jet ejector region. Ring currents observed in the tangential directions as parallel chains of components are excited in the rotating flows. The magnetic fields of the rotating bipolar outflow and the disk are aligned and oriented along the rotation axis. The translational motions of the jet and counterjet are parallel and antiparallel to the magnetic field, which determines their acceleration or deceleration. The quasar core is surrounded by a thermal plasma. The sizes of the HII region reach ～30 pc. The electron density decreases with increasing distance from the center from N _e ≈ 10⁸ to ≈10⁵ cm^?3. The observed emission from the jet fragments at the exit from the nozzle is partially absorbed by the thermal plasma, is refracted with increasing distance—moves with an apparent superluminal velocity, and decelerates as it goes outside the HII region.     

Fine core-jet structure of the galaxy M87

The fine core-jet structure of the radio galaxy M87 has been investigated in the millimeter-decimeter wave band. A counterjet whose extent is ρ(λ) ≈ 0.036λ pc, where the wavelength λ is expressed in centimeters, has been identified. At a wavelength of 2 cm, the brightness of the jet and counterjet decreases exponentially to the minimally detectable level. However, the decline for the jet slows down from a level of several percent of the peak value. The bipolar jet consists of a highly collimated relativistic plasma flow surrounded by a nonrelativistic low-velocity component. The low-velocity jet flow includes a helical component observable up to a distance of 20 mas or 1.6 pc. The reaction of the flow produces a multimode precession responsible for the helical shape of the relativistic jet with a variable pitch and a curved axis. The helical structures of the jet and counterjet are mirror reflections of each other relative to the ejector. The apparent size of the accretion disk seen edge-on reaches 1.5 mas or 0.12 pc.     

Active region of the nucleus of the blazar 3C 454.3

The superfine structure of the object 3C 454.3 has been investigated at λ = 7 mm in polarized emission. The kinematics of the structure is shown to correspond to a vortex. A spiral structure like an Archimedes spiral has been established in the accretion disk. The orbital velocity of the inflow exceeds considerably the radial velocity. The disk is oriented in the plane of the sky. The bipolar outflow ejection axis is directed toward the observer with a slight inclination to the east. The jet sizes exceed considerably the counterjet sizes. The jet is ejected in a direction opposite to the observer; its apparent separation from the nozzle is determined by the disk shadowing. The counterjet is directed toward the observer; the flow brightness temperature at the exit from the nozzle reaches T _b ≈ 10¹⁵ K. The jet has a spiral shape with an increasing pitch; the counterjet is a mirror reflection of the initial part of the jet. The incoming thermal plasma is accelerated and heated to relativistic temperatures as it is transferred along a spiral to the center. The orientation of the emission polarization plane changes along the flows due to a change in the ratio of the orbital and radial velocities, a change in the magnetic field orientation.     

Interaction of the supernova remnant HB3 with the ambient interstellar gas

The well-known shell supernova remnant (SNR) HB3 is part of a feature-rich star-forming region together with the nebulae W3, W4, and W5. We study the HI structure around this SNR using five RATAN-600 drift curves obtained at a wavelength of 21 cm with an angular resolution of 2′ in one coordinate over the radial-velocity range ?183 to +60 km s^?1 in a wider region of the sky and with a higher sensitivity than in previous works by other authors. The spatial-kinematic distribution of HI features around the SNR clearly shows two concentric expanding shells of gas that surround the SNR and coincide with it in all three coordinates (α, δ, and V). The outer shell has a radius of 133 pc, a thickness of 24 pc, and an expansion velocity of 48 km s^?1. The mass of the gas in it is ≈2.3 × 10⁵M_⊙. For the inner shell, these parameters are 78 pc, 36 pc, 24 km s^{? 1}, and 0.9 × 10⁵M_⊙, respectively. The inner shell is immediately adjacent to the SNR. Assuming that the outer shell was produced by the stellar wind and the inner shell arose from the shock wave of the SNR proper, we estimated the age of the outer shell, ≈1.7 × 10⁶ yr, and the mechanical luminosity of the stellar wind, 1.5 × 10³⁸ erg s^?1. The inner shell has an age of ≈10⁶ yr and corresponds to a total supernova explosion energy of ≈10⁵² erg.     

An accretion disk,a bipolar outflow,and an envelope—A structure that accompanies the formation of a protostar

We analyze the superfine structure of the supermaser H₂O emission region in Orion KL over the period 1979–1999. The angular resolution reached 0.1 mas, which corresponds to 0.045 AU at a distance to Orion KL of 450 pc. We determined the velocity of the local standard of rest, V_LSR = 7.65 km s^?1. The formation of a protostar is accompanied by a structure that consists of an accretion disk, a bipolar outflow, and a surrounding envelope. The disk is at the stage of separation into protoplanetary rings. The disk plane is warped like the brim of a hat. The disk is 27 AU in diameter and ～0.3 AU in thickness. The rings contain ice granules. Radiation and stellar wind sublimate and blow away the water molecules to form halos around the rings, maser rings. The radiation from the rings is concentrated in the azimuthal plane, and its directivity reaches 10^?3. The relative velocities of the rings located in the central part of the disk 15 AU in diameter correspond to rigid-body rotation, V_rot = ΩR. The rotation period is T ≈ 170 yr. The injector is surrounded by a toroidal structure 1.2 AU in diameter. The diameter of the injected flow does not exceed 0.05 AU. A highly collimated bipolar outflow with a diameter of ～0.1 AU is observed at a distance as large as 3 AU. Precession of the injector axis with a period of ～10 yr forms a spiral flow structure. The flow velocity is ～10 km s^?1. The kinetic energy of the accreting matter and the disk is assumed to be transferred to the bipolar outflow, causing the rotation velocity distribution of the rings to deviate from the Keplerian velocity. The surrounding envelope amplifies the emission from the structure at a velocity of 7.65 km s^?1 in a band of ～0.5 km s^?1 by more than two orders of magnitude, which determines the supermaser emission.     

Optical observations of type-IIP supernova 2004dj: Evidence for asymmetry of the <Superscript>56</Superscript>Ni ejecta

Photometric and spectroscopic observations of the nearby type-IIP supernova 2004dj are presented. The ⁵⁶Ni mass in the envelope of SN 2004dj was estimated from the light curve to be ≈0.02M_⊙. This estimate is confirmed by modeling the Hα luminosity. The Hα emission line exhibits a strong asymmetry characterized by the presence of a blue component in the line with a shift of ?1600 km s^?1 at the early nebular phase. A similar asymmetry was found in the Hβ, [O I], and [Ca II] lines. The line asymmetry is interpreted as being the result of asymmetric ⁵⁶Ni ejecta. The Hα profile and its evolution are reproduced in the model of an asymmetric bipolar ⁵⁶Ni structure for a spherical hydrogen distribution. The mass of the front ⁵⁶Ni jet is comparable to that of the central component and twice that of the rear ⁵⁶Ni jet. We point out that the asymmetric bipolar structure of ⁵⁶Ni ejecta is also present in SN 1999em, a normal type-IIP supernova.     

Structure of the bulge of the galaxy NGC 4258

The superfine structure of the bulge of the galaxy NGC 4258 has been investigated in H₂O maser emission at the epochs on February 4, 2013, and November 29, 2013. The peak intensities of the spectral components reached F ≈ 5 Jy. The emission of the component at v = 476 km s^-1 dominated at the beginning of this period; the second component at v = 487 km s^-1 was observed at the end of the period. The structure is a chain of compact components up to 200 µas or 7mpc in extent. The velocity of the local standard of rest is v _LSR = 482 km s^-1. Two bright compact components with a separation between them Δρ ≈ 35 µas or 1.3 mpc and a pair of components spaced 13 µas apart, whose brightness reaches 30% of the peak value corresponding to a brightness temperature T _b ≈ 1018 K, are located at the center. The sizes of the components are ~2–3 µas. A splitting and a shift of the two pairs of components relative to each other by 8 µas or 0.3 mpc in the 45° direction are observed at the end of the period. The velocity gradient of the structure is dV/dρ = 224 km s^-1 mas^-1, suggesting a solid-body rotation with a period T ≈ 760 years. The compact components correspond to the tangential directions of the arm. Two parallel chains of components corresponding to the tangential directions of the walls of the bipolar outflow carrying away an excess angular momentum are ejected from the central part of the bulge, two sources. The outflow is oriented at an angle X ≈ 15° relative to the disk axis. The brightness of the outflow fragments does not exceed 1.5% of the peak value. The ejection of material from the central part in the northward direction at a level up to 0.2%, T _b ≈ 10¹⁵ K, is observed at the epoch on February 4, 2013, at v = 478 km s^-1. The core structure suggests a double system: parallel disks–vortices spaced 0.25 mpc apart.     

Evolution of the structure of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O supermaser outburst region in Orion KL

During the period 1979–1999, we investigated the hyperfine structure of the H₂O supermaser region located in the core of the molecular cloud OMC-1 in Orion KL. The angular resolution is 0.1 mas, which corresponds to 0.045 AU. The detected structure, which consists of a central object, an accretion disk, a bipolar outflow, and an envelope, corresponds to the initial formation stage of a low-mass star. The accretion disk is at the stage of separation into groups of concentric rings. The bipolar outflow is a neutral, highly collimated jet of accreted material that includes H₂O molecules and dust grains in the icy envelope. The injector is a bright compact source with a size <0.05 AU and a brightness temperature T_b≈10¹⁷ K. The velocity of the bipolar outflow is v≈10 km s^?1. The rotation velocity of the jet is v_rot≈1.5 km s^?1. The jet has the shape of a conical helix due to the precession of the rotation axis. Occasionally, dense blobs (comet-shaped bullets) are ejected. The envelope amplifies the radio emission from the structures in a ～0.5 km s^?1 maser window band with velocities v≈7.65 km s^?1 by more than two orders of magnitude.     

The star-forming region in Orion KL

We have studied the fine structure of the active H₂O supermaser emission region in Orion KL with an angular resolution of 0.1 mas. We found central features suggestive of a bipolar outflow, bullets, and an envelope which correspond to the earliest stage of low-mass star formation. The ejector is a bright compact source ≤0.05 AU in size with a brightness temperature T _b ?10¹⁷ K. The highly collimated bipolar outflow ～30 has a velocity v _ej ?10 km s^?1, a rotation period of ～0.5 yr, a precession period of ～10 yr, and a precession angle of ～33°. Precession gives rise to a jet in the shape of a conical helix. The envelope amplifies the radio emission from the components by about three orders of magnitude at a velocity v=7.65 km s^?1.     

Distribution of novae in height above the galactic plane

To test the hypothesis about the existence of two different subsystems of novae in the Galaxy, disk and bulge novae, we have constructed the spatial distribution of 64 novae in z coordinate. A large number of fast novae, believed to be disk novae, are at a considerable distance from the Galactic plane (up to z ～ 3700 pc), which cannot be explained by the photometric measurement errors. Slow novae, believed to be bulge novae, show a higher concentration to the Galactic plane (z ? 1700 pc). The application of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test has shown that the hypothesis of two populations is valid with a probability of 95.6%.     

Open cluster ASCC21 as a probable birthplace of the neutron star Geminga

We analyze the encounters of the neutron star (pulsar) Geminga with open star clusters in the OB association Ori OB1a through the integration of epicyclic orbits into the past by taking into account the errors in the data. The open cluster ASCC21 is shown to be the most probable birthplace of either a single progenitor star for the Geminga pulsar or a binary progenitor system that subsequently broke up. Monte Carlo simulations of Geminga-ASCC21 encounters with the pulsar radial velocity V _r = ?100±50 km s^?1 have shown that close encounters could occur between them within ≤10 pc at about t = ?0.52 Myr. In addition, the trajectory of the neutron star Geminga passes at a distance of ≈25 pc from the center of the compact OB association λ Ori at about t = ?0.39 Myr, which is close to the age of the pulsar estimated from its timing.     

Systematic error of the Gaia DR1 TGAS parallaxes from data for the red giant clump

Based on the Gaia DR1 TGAS parallaxes and photometry from the Tycho-2, Gaia, 2MASS, andWISE catalogues, we have produced a sample of ~100 000 clump red giants within ~800 pc of the Sun. The systematic variations of the mode of their absolute magnitude as a function of the distance, magnitude, and other parameters have been analyzed. We show that these variations reach 0.7 mag and cannot be explained by variations in the interstellar extinction or intrinsic properties of stars and by selection. The only explanation seems to be a systematic error of the Gaia DR1 TGAS parallax dependent on the square of the observed distance in kpc: 0.18R ² mas. Allowance for this error reduces significantly the systematic dependences of the absolute magnitude mode on all parameters. This error reaches 0.1 mas within 800 pc of the Sun and allows an upper limit for the accuracy of the TGAS parallaxes to be estimated as 0.2 mas. A careful allowance for such errors is needed to use clump red giants as “standard candles.” This eliminates all discrepancies between the theoretical and empirical estimates of the characteristics of these stars and allows us to obtain the first estimates of the modes of their absolute magnitudes from the Gaia parallaxes: mode(M _H ) = ?1.49 ^m ± 0.04 ^m , mode(M _Ks ) = ?1.63 ^m ± 0.03 ^m , mode(M _W1) = ?1.67 ^m ± 0.05 ^m mode(M _W2) = ?1.67 ^m ± 0.05 ^m , mode(M _W3) = ?1.66 ^m ± 0.02 ^m , mode(M _W4) = ?1.73 ^m ± 0.03 ^m , as well as the corresponding estimates of their de-reddened colors.     

Analysis of the Z distribution of young objects in the Galactic thin disk

We have obtained new estimates of the Sun’s distance from the symmetry plane Z _⊙ and the vertical disk scale height h using currently available data on stellar OB associations, Wolf–Rayet stars, HII regions, and Cepheids. Based on individual determinations, we have calculated the mean Z _⊙ = ?16 ± 2 pc. Based on the model of a self-gravitating isothermal disk for the density distribution, we have found the following vertical disk scale heights: h = 40.2 ± 2.1 pc from OB associations, h = 47.8 ± 3.9 pc from Wolf–Rayet stars, h = 48.4 ± 2.5 pc from HII regions, and h = 66.2 ± 1.6 pc from Cepheids. We have estimated the surface, Σ = 6 kpc^?2, and volume, D(Z _⊙) = 50.6 kpc^?3, densities from a sample of OB associations. We have found that there could be ～5000 OB associations in the Galaxy.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis> distribution of hydrogen clouds and masers with kinematic distances

Data on HII regions, molecular clouds, and methanol masers have been used to estimate the Sun’s distance from the symmetry plane z _⊙ and the vertical disk scale height h. Kinematic distance estimates are available for all objects in these samples. The Local-arm (Orion-arm) objects are shown to affect noticeably the pattern of the z distribution. The deviations from the distribution symmetry are particularly pronounced for the sample of masers with measured trigonometric parallaxes, where the fraction of Local-arm masers is large. The situation with the sample of HII regions in the solar neighborhood is similar. We have concluded that it is better to exclude the Local arm from consideration. Based on the model of a self-gravitating isothermal disk, we have obtained the following estimates from objects located in the inner region of the Galaxy (R ≤ R ₀): z _⊙ = ?5.7 ± 0.5 pc and h ₂ = 24.1 ± 0.9 pc from the sample of 639 methanol masers, z _⊙ = ?7.6±0.4 pc and h ₂ = 28.6±0.5 pc from 878HII regions, z _⊙ = ?10.1 ± 0.5 pc and h ₂ = 28.2 ± 0.6 pc from 538 giant molecular clouds.     

Extinction law at a distance up to 25 kpc toward the Galactic poles

Photometry from the Tycho-2, 2MASS, andWISE catalogues for clump and branch giants at a distance up to 25 kpc toward the Galactic poles has allowed the variations of various characteristics of the infrared interstellar extinction law with distance to be analyzed. The results obtained by the extinction law extrapolation method are consistent for different classes of stars and different characteristics as well as with previous studies. The conventional extinction law with a low infrared extinction is characteristic of only a thin layer no farther than 100 pc from the Galactic plane and of two thin layers near Z = ?600 and +500 pc. Far from the Galactic plane, in the Galactic halo, the infrared extinction law is different: the extinction in the Ks, W1, W2, W3, and W4 bands is, respectively, 0.17, 0.16, 0.16, 0.07, and 0.03 of the extinction in the V band. The accuracy of these coefficients is 0.03. If the extinction law reflects primarily the grain size distribution, then the fraction of large dust grains far from the Galactic plane is greater than that in the circumsolar interstellar medium.     

Ejector and bipolar outflow of the radio galaxy M87

The superfine structure of the jet formation region in the radio galaxy M87 has been investigated. An accretion disk and high- and low-velocity jet and counterjet components have been identified. The high-velocity bipolar outflow is ejected from the central disk region, a nozzle 4 mpc in diameter, while the low-velocity one is ejected from a ring 60 mpc in diameter and 14 mpc in width. The low-velocity plasma flow is a hollow tube with a built-in helix. The observed helical structure of the high-velocity jet is determined by precession. The components of the structure, its disk and bipolar outflow, suggest solid-body rotation. Ring currents and aligned magnetic fields are generated in them under the action of an external magnetic field. The bipolar outflows are ejected coaxially but in opposite directions—along and opposite to the disk field. As a result, the jet flow accelerates, while the counterjet one decelerates. This causes the extent of the region of radiative cooling of the ejected relativistic electrons in the counterjet to decrease and maintains their “afterglow” at large distances in the jet. The high collimation of the rotating flows is determined by their interaction with the environment.