On the angular size-redshift test for double radio sources

The origin of discrepancy between the observed redshift dependence of the angular size of double radio sources and the relation expected for constant diameter objects in homogenous relativistic cosmologies is reconsidered. A correlation between absolute magnitude and projected linear separation for the sources could account for this discrepancy by observational selection without requiring cosmological evolution of the entire source population. We conclude that it is premature to use the -z test as support either for astrophysical models of double radio source evolution, or for particular cosmological models.