Search

We present the localization and host galaxy of FRB 20190208A, a repeating source of fast radio bursts (FRBs) discovered using CHIME/FRB. As part of the PRECISE repeater localization program on the EVN, we monitored FRB 20190208A for 65.6 hours at $\sim1.4$ GHz and detected a single burst, which led to its VLBI localization with 260 mas uncertainty (2$\sigma$). Follow-up optical observations with the MMT Observatory ($i\gtrsim 25.7$ mag (AB)) found no visible host at the FRB position. Subsequent deeper observations with the GTC, however, revealed an extremely faint galaxy ($r=27.32 \pm0.16$ mag), very likely ($99.95 \%$) associated with FRB 20190208A. Given the dispersion measure of the FRB ($\sim580$ pc cm$^{-3}$), even the most conservative redshift estimate ($z_{\mathrm{max}}\sim0.83$) implies that this is the lowest-luminosity FRB host to date ($\lesssim10^8L_{\odot}$), even less luminous than the dwarf host of FRB 20121102A. We investigate how localization precision and the depth of optical imaging affect host association, and discuss the implications of such a low-luminosity dwarf galaxy. Unlike the other repeaters with low-luminosity hosts, FRB 20190208A has a modest Faraday rotation measure of a few tens of rad m$^{-2}$, and EVN plus VLA observations reveal no associated compact persistent radio source. We also monitored FRB 20190208A for 40.4 hours over 2 years as part of the \'ECLAT repeating FRB monitoring campaign on the Nan\c{c}ay Radio Telescope, and detected one burst. Our results demonstrate that, in some cases, the robust association of an FRB with a host galaxy will require both high localization precision, as well as deep optical follow-up., Comment: submitted to ApJL

Does a broad-line region (BLR) wind in radio-quiet (RQ) active galactic nuclei (AGN) extend to pc scales and produce radio emission? We explore the correlations between a pc-scale radio wind and the BLR wind in a sample of 19 RQ Palomar-Green (PG) quasars. The radio wind is defined based on the spectral slope and the compactness of the emission at 1.5-5 GHz, and the BLR wind is defined by the excess blue wing in the C IV emission line profile. The five objects with both radio and BLR wind indicators are found at high Eddington ratios L/L_Edd (> 0.66), and eight of the nine objects with neither radio nor BLR winds reside at low L/L_Edd (< 0.28). This suggests that the BLR wind and the radio wind in RQ AGN are related to a radiation pressure driven wind. Evidence for free-free absorption by AGN photoionized gas, which flattens the spectral slope, is found in two objects. Radio outflows in three low L/L_Edd (0.05-0.12) objects are likely from a low-power jet, as suggested by additional evidence. The presence of a mild equatorial BLR wind in four intermediate L/L_Edd (0.2-0.4) objects can be tested with future spectropolarimetry., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present deep kpc- and pc-scale neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) absorption observations of a very young radio source (< 5000 yrs), 4C 31.04, using the WSRT and the Global VLBI array. Using $z=0.0598$, we detect a broad absorption feature centred at the systemic velocity, and narrow absorption redshifted by 220 km/s 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 velocity dispersion of the gas is overall high ($\geq$40 km/s), and is highest (>60 km/s) 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, most of the gas along the rest of the eastern lobe exhibits no signs of rotation. 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 is strongly interacting with the clouds and driving an outflow ~35 pc from the radio core, with a mass-outflow rate of $0.3 \leq \dot{M} \leq 1.4$ M$_\odot$/yr. We compare our observations with a model on the survival of atomic gas clouds in radio-jet-driven outflows and find that the existence of a sub-kpc outflow implies high gas density and inefficient mixing of the cold gas with the hot medium, leading to shorter cooling times. Overall, this provides further evidence of the strong impact of young radio jets on cold ISM and supports the predictions of simulations regarding jet$-$ISM interactions and the nature of the gas into which the jets expand., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Context. According to the hierarchical structure formation model, brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) evolve into the most luminous and massive galaxies in the Universe through multiple merger events. The peculiar radio source 4C 35.06 is located at the core of the galaxy cluster Abell 407, overlapping with a compact group of nine galaxies. Low-frequency radio observations have revealed a helical, steep-spectrum, kiloparsec-scale jet structure and inner lobes with less steep spectra, compatible with a recurring active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity scenario. However, the host galaxy of the AGN responsible for the detected radio emission remained unclear. Aims. We aim to identify the host of 4C 35.06 by studying the object at high angular resolution and thereby confirm the recurrent AGN activity scenario. Methods. To reveal the host of the radio source, we carried out very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations with the European VLBI Network of the nine galaxies in the group at 1.7 and 4.9 GHz. Results. We detected compact radio emission from an AGN located between the two inner lobes at both observing frequencies. In addition, we detected another galaxy at 1.7 GHz, whose position appears more consistent with the principal jet axis and is located closer to the low-frequency radio peak of 4C 35.06. The presence of another radio-loud AGN in the nonet sheds new light on the BCG formation and provides an alternative scenario in which not just one but two AGNs are responsible for the complex large-scale radio structure, Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A), 7 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

There is still a limited number of high-redshift ($z>3$) active galactic nuclei (AGN) whose jet kinematics have been studied with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Without a dedicated proper motion survey, regularly conducted astrometric VLBI observations of bright radio-emitting AGN with sensitive arrays can be utilized to follow changes in the jets, by means of high-resolution imaging and brightness distribution modeling. Here we present a first-time VLBI jet kinematic study of NVSS~J080518$+$614423 ($z = 3.033$) and NVSS~J165844$-$073918 ($z = 3.742$), two flat-spectrum radio quasars that display milliarcsecond-scale jet morphology. Archival astrometric observations carried out mainly with the Very Long Baseline Array, supplemented by recent data taken with the European VLBI Network, allowed us to monitor changes in their radio structure in the $7.6-8.6$~GHz frequency band, covering almost two decades. By identifying individual jet components at each epoch, we were able to determine the apparent proper motion for multiple features in both sources. Apparent superluminal motions range between $(1-14)\,c$, and are found to be consistent with studies of other high-redshift AGN targets. Using the physical parameters derived from the brightness distribution modeling, we estimate the Doppler-boosting factors ($\delta \approx 11.2$ and $\delta \approx 2.7$), the Lorentz factors ($\Gamma \approx 7.4$ and $\Gamma \approx 36.6$) and the jet viewing angles ($\theta \approx 4\fdg4$ and $\theta \approx 8\fdg0$), for NVSS~J080518$+$614423 and NVSS~J165844$-$073918, respectively. The data revealed a stationary jet component with negligible apparent proper motion in NVSS~J165844$-$073918., Comment: Supplementary tables can also be found at the end of the main tex file

The past decade has seen significant advances in wide-field cm-wave very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), which is timely given the wide-area, synoptic survey-driven strategy of major facilities across the electromagnetic spectrum. While wide-field VLBI poses significant post-processing challenges that can severely curtail its potential scientific yield, many developments in the km-scale connected-element interferometer sphere are directly applicable to addressing these. Here we present the design, processing, data products, and source counts from a deep (11 $\mu$Jy beam$^{-1}$), quasi-uniform sensitivity, contiguous wide-field (160 arcmin$^2$) 1.6 GHz VLBI survey of the CANDELS GOODS-North field. This is one of the best-studied extragalactic fields at milli-arcsecond resolution and, therefore, is well-suited as a comparative study for our Tera-pixel VLBI image. The derived VLBI source counts show consistency with those measured in the COSMOS field, which broadly traces the AGN population detected in arcsecond-scale radio surveys. However, there is a distinctive flattening in the $ S_{\rm 1.4GHz}\sim$100-500 $\mu$Jy flux density range, which suggests a transition in the population of compact faint radio sources, qualitatively consistent with the excess source counts at 15 GHz that is argued to be an unmodelled population of radio cores. This survey approach will assist in deriving robust VLBI source counts and broadening the discovery space for future wide-field VLBI surveys, including VLBI with the Square Kilometre Array, which will include new large field-of-view antennas on the African continent at $\gtrsim$1000~km baselines. In addition, it may be useful in the design of both monitoring and/or rapidly triggered VLBI transient programmes., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

We present very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the hyperactive repeating FRB 20220912A using the European VLBI Network (EVN) with an EVN-Lite setup. We detected 150 bursts from FRB 20220912A over two observing epochs in October 2022. Combining the data of these bursts allows us to localise FRB 20220912A to a precision of a few milliarcseconds, corresponding to a transverse scale of less than 10 pc at the distance of the source. The precision of this localisation shows that FRB 20220912A lies closer to the centre of its host galaxy than previously found, although still significantly offset from the host galaxy's nucleus. On arcsecond scales, FRB 20220912A is coincident with a persistent continuum radio source known from archival observations, however, we find no compact persistent emission on milliarcsecond scales. The persistent radio emission is thus likely to be from star-formation in the host galaxy. This is in contrast to some other active FRBs, such as FRB 20121102A and FRB 20190520B., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRAS, comments most welcome

Recent advances in technology coupled with the progress of observational radio astronomy methods resulted in achieving a major milestone of astrophysics - a direct image of the shadow of a supermassive black hole, taken by the Earth-based Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). The EHT was able to achieve a resolution of $\sim$20 $\mu$as, enabling it to resolve the shadows of the black holes in the centres of two celestial objects: the supergiant elliptical galaxy M87 and the Milky Way Galaxy. The EHT results mark the start of a new round of development of next generation Very Long Baseline Interferometers (VLBI) which will be able to operate at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths. The inclusion of baselines exceeding the diameter of the Earth and observation at as short a wavelength as possible is imperative for further development of high resolution astronomical observations. This can be achieved by a spaceborne VLBI system. We consider the preliminary mission design of such a system, specifically focused on the detection and analysis of photon rings, an intrinsic feature of supermassive black holes. Optimised Earth, Sun-Earth L2 and Earth-Moon L2 orbit configurations for the space interferometer system are presented, all of which provide an order of magnitude improvement in resolution compared to the EHT. Such a space-borne interferometer would be able to conduct a comprehensive survey of supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei and enable uniquely robust and accurate tests of strong gravity, through detection of the photon ring features., Comment: Accepted for publication in Acta Astronautica. 40 pages, 13 figures

We present new JVLA and VLBA observations tracing the HI in the central region of 3C84 (Perseus A). This radio source is hosted by the bright cluster galaxy NGC 1275 in the centre of the iconic Perseus cluster. With the JVLA, we detected broad (FWHM~500 km/s) HI absorption at arcsecond resolution (~300 pc) centred at the systemic velocity of NGC 1275 against the bright radio continuum, suggesting that the detected gas is very close to the supermassive black hole (SMBH). However, we did not detect any absorption in the higher-resolution VLBA data against the parsec-scale radio core and jet. Based on a comparison of the properties of the HI absorption with those of the molecular circum-nuclear disc (CND) known to be present in NGC 1275, we argue that the HI seen in absorption arises from HI in this fast-rotating CND, and that neutral atomic hydrogen is present as close as ~20 pc from the SMBH. The radio continuum providing the background for absorption arises from non-thermal synchrotron emission from the star formation activity in the CND, whose presence has been reported by earlier VLBA studies. We did not detect any signature that the HI gas is affected by an interaction with the radio jet. Thus, at this stage of the evolution of the source, the impact of the radio jet on the gas in NGC 1275 mainly creates cavities on much larger galaxy scales. Overall, the properties of the CND in Perseus A present strong similarities with Mrk 231, suggesting that, unlike often assumed, HI absorption can arise against the radio emission from star formation in a CND. With the JVLA, we serendipitously detected a new, faint absorbing system that is redshifted by ~2660 km/s, in addition to the already known high-velocity absorption system that is redshifted 2850 km/s with respect to NGC 1275. We identify this new system as gas that is stripped from a foreground galaxy falling into the Perseus cluster., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 12 pages, 10 figures

We present very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of a continuum radio source potentially associated with the fast radio burst source FRB 20190520B. Using the European VLBI network (EVN), we find the source to be compact on VLBI scales with an angular size of $<2.3$ mas ($3\sigma$). This corresponds to a transverse physical size of $<9$ pc (at the $z=0.241$ redshift of the host galaxy), confirming it to be an FRB persistent radio source (PRS) like that associated with the first-known repeater FRB 20121102A. The PRS has a flux density of $201 \pm 34 \rm{\mu Jy}$ at 1.7 GHz and a spectral radio luminosity of $L_{1.7 \rm GHz} = (3.0 \pm 0.5) \times 10^{29}\,\mathrm{erg s^{-1} Hz^{-1}}$ (also similar to the FRB 20121102A PRS). Comparing to previous lower-resolution observations, we find that no flux is resolved out on milliarcsecond scales. We have refined the PRS position, improving its precision by an order of magnitude compared to previous results. We also report the detection of a FRB 20190520B burst at 1.4 GHz and find the burst position to be consistent with the PRS position, at $\lesssim20$ mas. This strongly supports their direct physical association and the hypothesis that a single central engine powers both the bursts and the PRS. We discuss the model of a magnetar in a wind nebula and present an allowed parameter space for its age and the radius of the putative nebula powering the observed PRS emission. Alternatively, we find that an accretion-powered 'hypernebula' model also fits our observational constraints., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, Submitted to ApJL

Cygnus X-3 is a high-mass X-ray binary with a compact object accreting matter from a Wolf-Rayet donor star. Recently, it has been revealed by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) as a hidden Galactic ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) source with a luminosity above the Eddington limit along the direction of a narrow (opening angle <~32 degree) funnel. In between the IXPE observations, we observed Cyg X-3 with the European VLBI (very long baseline interferometry) Network at 22 GHz and the NICER X-ray instrument. To probe possible relations between the X-ray funnel and the potential radio jet from the ULX, we analyzed the simultaneous multi-wavelength data. Our high-resolution VLBI image reveals an elongated structure with a position angle of -3.2+/-0.4 degree, accurately perpendicular to the direction of the linear X-ray polarization. Because Cyg X-3 was in the radio quiescent state on 2022 November 10, we identify the mas-scale structure as the innermost radio jet. The finding indicates that the radio jet propagates along and within the funnel. Moreover, the jet is marginally resolved in the transverse direction. This possibly results from the strong stellar winds and the rapid orbital motion of the binary system., Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters

The application of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has been limited to date, despite the technique offering many advantages over traditional single-dish SETI observations. In order to further develop interferometry for SETI, we used the European VLBI Network (EVN) at $21$~cm to observe potential secondary phase calibrators in the Kepler field. Unfortunately, no secondary calibrators were detected. However, a VLBA primary calibrator in the field, J1926+4441, offset only $\sim1.88'$ from a nearby exoplanet Kepler-111~b, was correlated with high temporal $\left(0.25 \ \rm{s}\right)$ and spectral $\left(16384 \times 488\ \rm{Hz \ channels}\right)$ resolution. During the analysis of the high-resolution data, we identified a spectral feature that was present in both the auto and cross-correlation data with a central frequency of $1420.424\pm0.0002$ MHz and a width of 0.25 MHz. We demonstrate that the feature in the cross-correlations is an artefact in the data, associated with a significant increase in each telescope's noise figure due to the presence of \ion{H}{i} in the beam. This would typically go unnoticed in data correlated with standard spectral resolution. We flag (excluded from the subsequent analysis) these channels and phase rotate the data to the location of Kepler-111~b aided by the GAIA catalogue and search for signals with $\rm{SNR}>7$. At the time of our observations, we detect no transmitters with an Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) > $\sim4\times10^{15}$ W., Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, accepted MNRAS

Dwarf galaxies are characterised by a very low luminosity and low mass. Because of significant accretion and ejection activity of massive black holes, some dwarf galaxies also host low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In a few dwarf AGNs, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations have found faint non-thermal radio emission. SDSS J090613.77+561015.2 is a dwarf AGN owning an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) with a mass of $M_{BH} = 3.6^{+5.9}_{-2.3} \times 10^5 M_{sun}$ and showing a rarely-seen two-component radio structure in its radio nucleus. To further probe their nature, i.e. the IMBH jet activity, we performed additional deep observations with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.66 GHz and 4.99 GHz. We find the more diffuse emission regions and structure details. These new EVN imaging results allow us to reveal a two-sided jet morphology with a size up to about 150 mas (projected length $\sim$140 pc) and a radio luminosity of about $3\times10^{38}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The peak feature has an optically thin radio spectrum and thus more likely represents a relatively young ejecta instead of a jet base. The EVN study on SDSS J090613.77+561015.2 demonstrates the existence of episodic, relatively large-scale and powerful IMBH jet activity in dwarf AGNs. Moreover, we collected a small sample of VLBI-detected dwarf AGNs and investigated their connections with normal AGNs. We notice that these radio sources in the dwarf AGNs tend to have steep spectra and small linear sizes, and possibly represent ejecta from scaled-down episodic jet activity., Comment: Accepted for publication in MRNAS, 10 pages, 6 figures

There are approximately 250 quasars discovered at redshift $z\geq6$, of which only a handful were detected in radio bands, and even fewer were imaged with the highest resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) technique. Here we report the results of our dual-frequency observations with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) of two such recently discovered quasars, VIKING J231818.35$-$311346.3 at $z=6.44$ and FIRST J233153.20$+$112952.11 at $z=6.57$. Both extremely distant sources were imaged with VLBI for the first time. The radio properties of the former are consistent with those of quasars with young radio jets. The latter has an UV/optical spectrum characteristic of BL Lac objects, of which no others have been found beyond redshift 4 so far. Our VLBA observations revealed a flat-spectrum compact radio source., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; to appear in the proceedings of the 15th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users' Meeting (EVN2022), 11-15 July 2022, University College Cork, Ireland

We present a study of optically selected dual AGN with projected separations of 3--97~kpc. Using multi-wavelength (MWL) information (optical, X-rays, mid-IR), we characterized the intrinsic nuclear properties of this sample and compared them with those of isolated systems. Among the 124 X-ray detected AGN candidates, 52 appear in pairs and 72 as single X-ray sources. Through MWL analysis, we confirmed the presence of the AGN in a fraction >80\% of the detected targets in pairs (42 over 52). X-ray spectral analysis confirms the trend of increasing AGN luminosity with decreasing separation, suggesting that mergers may have contributed in triggering more luminous AGN. Through X/mid-IR ratio $vs$ X-ray colors, we estimated a fraction of Compton-thin AGN (with 10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ $<$ N$_{\rm H} <$10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$) of about 80\%, while about 16\% are Compton thick (CT, with N$_{\rm H}>$10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$) sources. These fractions of obscured sources are larger than those found in samples of isolated AGN, confirming that pairs of AGN show higher obscuration. This trend is further confirmed by comparing the de-reddened [O\ III] emission with the observed X-ray luminosity. However, the derived fraction of Compton-thick sources in this sample at early stage of merging is lower than reported for late-merging dual-AGN samples. Comparing N$_{\rm H}$ from X-rays with that derived from E(B-V) from Narrow Line Regions, we find that the absorbing material is likely associated with the torus or the Broad Line Regions. We also explored the X-ray detection efficiency of dual-AGN candidates, finding that, when observed properly (at on-axis positions and with long exposures), X-ray data represent a powerful way to confirm and investigate dual-AGN systems., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

NGC 4395 is a dwarf galaxy at a distance of about 4.3 Mpc (scale: ~0.021 pc mas$^{-1}$). It hosts an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) with a mass between ~10$^4$ and ~10$^5$ solar masses. The early radio observations of NGC 4395 with the very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network, High Sensitivity Array (HSA), at 1.4 GHz in 2005 showed that its nucleus has a sub-mJy outflow-like feature (E) extending over 15 mas. To probe the possibility of the feature E as a continuous jet with a base physically coupled with the accretion disc, we performed deep VLBI observations with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 5 GHz, and analysed the archival data obtained with the HSA at 1.4 GHz in 2008, NSF's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) at 12-18 GHz and the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) at 237 GHz. The feature E displays more diffuse structure in the HSA image of 2008 and has no compact substructure detected in the EVN image. Together with the optically thin steep spectrum and the extremely large angular offset (about 220 mas) from the accurate optical Gaia position, we explain the feature E as nuclear shocks likely formed by the IMBH's episodic ejection or wide-angle outflow. The VLA and ALMA observations find a sub-mJy pc-scale diffuse feature, possibly tracing a thermal free-free emission region near the IMBH. There is no detection of a jet base at the IMBH position in the VLBI maps. The non-detections give an extremely low luminosity of <=4.7 x 10$^{33}$ erg s$^{-1}$ at 5 GHz and indicate no evidence of a disc-jet coupling on sub-pc scales., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Fast Radio Bursts must be powered by uniquely energetic emission mechanisms. This requirement has eliminated a number of possible source types, but several remain. Identifying the physical nature of Fast Radio Burst (FRB) emitters arguably requires good localisation of more detections, and broadband studies enabled by real-time alerting. We here present the Apertif Radio Transient System (ARTS), a supercomputing radio-telescope instrument that performs real-time FRB detection and localisation on the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) interferometer. It reaches coherent-addition sensitivity over the entire field of the view of the primary dish beam. After commissioning results verified the system performed as planned, we initiated the Apertif FRB survey (ALERT). Over the first 5 weeks we observed at design sensitivity in 2019, we detected 5 new FRBs, and interferometrically localised each of these to 0.4--10 sq. arcmin. All detections are broad band and very narrow, of order 1 ms duration, and unscattered. Dispersion measures are generally high. Only through the very high time and frequency resolution of ARTS are these hard-to-find FRBs detected, producing an unbiased view of the intrinsic population properties. Most localisation regions are small enough to rule out the presence of associated persistent radio sources. Three FRBs cut through the halos of M31 and M33. We demonstrate that Apertif can localise one-off FRBs with an accuracy that maps magneto-ionic material along well-defined lines of sight. The rate of 1 every ~7 days next ensures a considerable number of new sources are detected for such study. The combination of detection rate and localisation accuracy exemplified by the 5 first ARTS FRBs thus marks a new phase in which a growing number of bursts can be used to probe our Universe., Comment: Accepted version

Ultra-high angular resolution in astronomy has always been an important vehicle for making fundamental discoveries. Recent results in direct imaging of the vicinity of the supermassive black hole in the nucleus of the radio galaxy M87 by the millimeter VLBI system Event Horizon Telescope and various pioneering results of the Space VLBI mission RadioAstron provided new momentum in high angular resolution astrophysics. In both mentioned cases, the angular resolution reached the values of about 10-20 microrcseconds. Further developments toward at least an order of magnitude "sharper" values are dictated by the needs of astrophysical studies and can only be achieved by placing millimeter and submillimeter wavelength interferometric systems in space. A concept of such the system, called Terahertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA), has been proposed in the framework of the ESA Call for White Papers for the Voayage 2050 long term plan in 2019. In the current paper we discuss several approaches for addressing technological challenges of the THEZA concept. In particular, we consider a novel configuration of a space-borne millimeter/sub-millimeter antenna which might resolve several bottlenecks in creating large precise mechanical structures. The paper also presents an overview of prospective space-qualified technologies of low-noise analogue front-end instrumentation for millimeter/sub-millimeter telescopes, data handling and processing. The paper briefly discusses approaches to the interferometric baseline state vector determination and synchronisation and heterodyning system. In combination with the original ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper, the current work sharpens the case for the next generation microarcsceond-level imaging instruments and provides starting points for further in-depth technology trade-off studies., Comment: The paper on 29 pages contains 12 figures, accepted for publication in Acta Astronautica, based on the presentation at the 72nd IAC, Dubai, UAE, October 2021

The current cosmological structure formation models predict that galaxies evolve through frequent mergers. During these events, the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) residing in the centres of the galaxies shrink to the central region, while losing energy via dynamical friction. Detection of SMBHs in these galaxy mergers is straightforward if they are actively accreting matter from their surroundings as active galactic nuclei (AGN). Currently, only a few dual AGN are known. One way to identify dual AGN candidates is by detecting double-peaked emission lines in their spectra. If these are broad spectral lines, it may indicate the existence of two broad line regions associated with two AGN. 2MASS J165939.7+183436 is a merging system, where the detected double-peaked broad emission lines can be explained by a dual AGN with an estimated separation of $0.085"$. Radio emission from this object was detected in the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-centimeters survey with a flux density of 2.6 mJy. We used the European Very Long Baseline Interferometer Network and the enhanced Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network to image 2MASS J165939.7+183436 at 1.7 GHz. We did not detect compact radio emission from the source., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted in the proceedings of the European VLBI Network Mini-Symposium and Users' Meeting 2021, Proceedings of Science

In the time domain, the radio sky in particular along the Galactic plane direction may vary significantly because of various energetic activities associated with stars, stellar and supermassive black holes. Using multi-epoch Very Large Array surveys of the Galactic plane at 5.0 GHz, Becker et al. (2010) presented a catalogue of 39 variable radio sources in the flux density range 1-70 mJy. To probe their radio structures and spectra, we observed 17 sources with the very-long-baseline interferometric (VLBI) imaging technique and collected additional multi-frequency data from the literature. We detected all of the sources at 5 GHz with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, but only G23.6644-0.0372 with the European VLBI Network (EVN). Together with its decadal variability and multi-frequency radio spectrum, we interpret it as an extragalactic peaked-spectrum source with a size of <~10 pc. The remaining sources were resolved out by the long baselines of the EVN because of either strong scatter broadening at the Galactic latitude <1 deg or intrinsically very extended structures on centi-arcsec scales. According to their spectral and structural properties, we find that the sample has a diverse nature. We notice two young H II regions and spot a radio star and a candidate planetary nebula. The rest of the sources are very likely associated with radio active galactic nuclei (AGN). Two of them also displays arcsec-scale faint jet activity. The sample study indicates that AGN are commonplace even among variable radio sources in the Galactic plane., Comment: 15 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Less than $200$ radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) are known above redshift $4$. Around $40$ of them have been observed at milliarcsecond (mas) scale resolution with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) technique. Some of them are unresolved, compact, relativistically beamed objects, blazars with jets pointing at small angles to the observer's line of sight. But there are also objects with no sign of relativistic beaming possibly having larger jet inclination angles. In a couple of cases, X-ray observations indicate the presence of relativistic beaming in contrary to the VLBI measurements made with the European VLBI Network (EVN). J1420$+$1205 is a prominent example, where our $30-100$ mas-scale enhanced Multi Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) radio observations revealed a rich structure reminiscent of a small radio galaxy. It shows a bright hotspot which might be related to the denser interstellar medium around a young galaxy at an early cosmological epoch., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichten, proceeding for the 6th Workshop on CSS and GPS Sources, 4 pages, 2 figures

During galaxy merger events, the supermassive black holes in the center of the galaxies may form a pair of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with kpc-scale or even pc-scale separation. Recently, optical observations revealed a promising dual AGN candidate at the center of the galaxy SDSS J101022.95$+$141300.9 (hereafter J1010$+$1413). The presence of two distinct [O III]-emitting point sources with a projected separation of $\sim 430$ pc indicates a dual AGN system. To search for AGN-dominated radio emission originating from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) point sources, we carried out very long baseline interferometry observations. We resolved the radio structure of J1010$+$1413 and detected a single feature offset from the HST point sources and also from the Gaia optical position of the object. Our multi-wavelength analysis of J1010$+$1413 inferred two possible interpretations of the observed properties challenging its proposed dual AGN classification., Comment: accepted to ApJ 16 pages, 3 figures

The high-redshift quasar PMN J0909+0354 ($z=3.288$) is known to have a pc-scale compact jet structure, based on global 5-GHz very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations performed in 1992. Its kpc-scale structure was studied with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the radio and the Chandra space telescope in X-rays. Apart from the north-northwestern jet component seen in both the VLA and Chandra images at $2.3''$ separation from the core, there is another X-ray feature at $6.48''$ in the northeastern (NE) direction. To uncover more details and possibly structural changes in the inner jet, we conducted new observations at 5 GHz using the European VLBI Network (EVN) in 2019. These data confirm the northward direction of the one-sided inner jet already suspected from the 1992 observations. A compact core and multiple jet components were identified that can be traced up to $\sim0.25$ kpc projected distance towards the north, while the structure becomes more and more diffuse. A comparison with arcsec-resolution imaging with the VLA shows that the radio jet bends by $\sim30^\circ$ between the two scales. The direction of the pc-scale jet as well as the faint optical counterpart found for the newly-detected X-ray point source (NE) favors the nature of the latter as a background or foreground object in the field of view. However, the extended ($\sim160$ kpc) emission around the positions of the quasar core and NE detected by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) in the mid-infrared might suggest physical interaction of the two objects., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ

While theory and simulations indicate that galaxy mergers play an important role in the cosmological evolution of accreting black holes and their host galaxies, samples of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in galaxies at close separations are still small. In order to increase the sample of AGN pairs, we undertook an archival project to investigate the X-ray properties of a SDSS-selected sample of 32 galaxy pairs with separations $\le$150 kpc containing one optically-identified AGN, that were serendipitously observed by XMM-Newton. We discovered only one X-ray counterpart among the optically classified non-active galaxies, with a weak X-ray luminosity ($\simeq$5$\times$10$^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$). 59% (19 out of 32) of the AGN in our galaxy pair sample exhibit an X-ray counterpart, covering a wide range in absorption corrected X-ray luminosity (5$\times$10$^{41}$-2$\times$10$^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$). More than 79% of these AGN are obscured (column density $N_H>$10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$), with more than half thereof ({\it i.e.}, about 47% of the total AGN sample) being Compton-thick. AGN/no-AGN pairs are therefore more frequently X-ray obscured (by a factor $\simeq$1.5) than isolated AGN. When compared to a luminosity and redshift-matched sample of {\it bona fide} dual AGN, AGN/no-AGN pairs exhibit one order-of-magnitude lower X-ray column density in the same separation range ($>$10 kpc). A small sample (4 objects) of AGN/no-AGN pairs with sub-pc separation are all heavily obscured, driving a formal anti-correlation between the X-ray column density and the galaxy pair separation in these systems. These findings suggest that the galactic environment has a key influence on the triggering of nuclear activity in merging galaxies., Comment: Accepted on MNRAS, 17 pages, 9 figures

The nearby face-on spiral galaxy NGC 2617 underwent an unambiguous 'inside-out' multi-wavelength outburst in Spring 2013, and a dramatic Seyfert type change probably between 2010 and 2012, with the emergence of broad optical emission lines. To search for the jet activity associated with this variable accretion activity, we carried out multi-resolution and multi-wavelength radio observations. Using the very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.7 and 5.0 GHz, we find that NGC 2617 shows a partially synchrotron self-absorbed compact radio core with a significant core shift, and an optically thin steep-spectrum jet extending towards the north up to about two parsecs in projection. We also observed NGC 2617 with the electronic Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) at 1.5 and 5.5 GHz, and revisited the archival data of the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). The radio core had a stable flux density of about 1.4 mJy at 5.0 GHz between 2013 June and 2014 January, in agreement with the expectation of a supermassive black hole in the low accretion rate state. The northern jet component is unlikely to be associated with the 'inside-out' outburst of 2013. Moreover, we report that most optically selected changing-look AGN at z<0.83 are sub-mJy radio sources in the existing VLA surveys at 1.4 GHz, and it is unlikely that they are more active than normal AGN at radio frequencies., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Fast Radio Burst FRB 20180916B in its host galaxy SDSS J015800.28+654253.0 at 149 Mpc is by far the closest-known FRB with a robust host galaxy association. The source also exhibits a 16.35-day period in its bursting. Here we present optical and infrared imaging as well as integral field spectroscopy observations of FRB 20180916B with the WFC3 camera on the Hubble Space Telescope and the MEGARA spectrograph on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. The 60-90 milliarcsecond (mas) resolution of the Hubble imaging, along with the previous 2.3-mas localization of FRB 20180916B, allow us to probe its environment with a 30-60 pc resolution. We constrain any point-like star-formation or HII region at the location of FRB 20180916B to have an H$\alpha$ luminosity $L_\mathrm{H\alpha} \lesssim 10^{37}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$ and, correspondingly, constrain the local star-formation rate to be $\lesssim10^{-4}\,\mathrm{M_\odot\,yr^{-1}}$. The constraint on H$\alpha$ suggests that possible stellar companions to FRB 20180916B should be of a cooler, less massive spectral type than O6V. FRB 20180916B is 250 pc away (in projected distance) from the brightest pixel of the nearest young stellar clump, which is $\sim380$\,pc in size (full-width at half maximum). With the typical projected velocities of pulsars, magnetars, or neutron stars in binaries (60-750 km s$^{-1}$), FRB 20180916B would need 800 kyr to 7 Myr to traverse the observed distance from its presumed birth site. This timescale is inconsistent with the active ages of magnetars ($\lesssim10$ kyr). Rather, the inferred age and observed separation are compatible with the ages of high-mass X-ray binaries and gamma-ray binaries, and their separations from the nearest OB associations., Comment: Updated version: Updated Figure 2. 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Published in ApJ Letters. Comments welcome

When a black hole accretes close to the Eddington limit, the astrophysical jet is often accompanied by radiatively driven, wide-aperture and mildly relativistic winds. Powerful winds can produce significant non-thermal radio emission via shocks. Among the nearby critical accretion quasars, PDS 456 has a very massive black hole (about one billion solar masses), shows a significant star-forming activity (about seventy solar masses per year) and hosts exceptionally energetic X-ray winds (power up to twenty per cent of the Eddington luminosity). To probe the radio activity in this extreme accretion and feedback system, we performed very-long-baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations of PDS 456 at 1.66 GHz with the European VLBI Network (EVN) and the enhanced Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometry Network (e-MERLIN). We find a rarely-seen complex radio-emitting nucleus consisting of a collimated jet and an extended non-thermal radio emission region. The diffuse emission region has a size of about 360 pc and a radio luminosity about three times higher than the nearby extreme starburst galaxy Arp 220. The powerful nuclear radio activity could result from either a relic jet with a peculiar geometry (nearly along the line of sight) or more likely from diffuse shocks formed naturally by the existing high-speed winds impacting on high-density star-forming regions., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

This white paper describes the science case for Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and provides suggestions towards upgrade paths for the European VLBI Network (EVN). The EVN is a distributed long-baseline radio interferometric array, that operates at the very forefront of astronomical research. Recent results, together with the new science possibilities outlined in this vision document, demonstrate the EVN's potential to generate new and exciting results that will transform our view of the cosmos. Together with e-MERLIN, the EVN provides a range of baseline lengths that permit unique studies of faint radio sources to be made over a wide range of spatial scales. The science cases are reviewed in six chapters that cover the following broad areas: cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, innermost regions of active galactic nuclei, explosive phenomena and transients, stars and stellar masers in the Milky Way, celestial reference frames and space applications. The document concludes with identifying the synergies with other radio, as well as multi-band/multi-messenger instruments, and provide the recommendations for future improvements. The appendices briefly describe other radio VLBI arrays, the technological framework for EVN developments, and a selection of spectral lines of astrophysical interest below 100 GHz. The document includes a glossary for non-specialists, and a list of acronyms at the end., Comment: Editors: Tiziana Venturi, Zsolt Paragi, Michael Lindqvist. "EVN Vision Document (2020)", 7 chapters, 3 appendices, 191 pages, 64 figures. Chapter coordinators and all the contributors are listed in the document

We propose a probabilistic framework for performing simultaneous estimation of source structure and fringe-fitting parameters in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations. As a first step, we demonstrate this technique through the analysis of synthetic short-duration Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of various geometric source models at 230 GHz, in the presence of baseline-dependent thermal noise. We perform Bayesian parameter estimation and model selection between the different source models to obtain reliable uncertainty estimates and correlations between various source and fringe-fitting related model parameters. We also compare the Bayesian posteriors with those obtained using widely-used VLBI data reduction packages such as CASA and AIPS, by fringe-fitting 200 Monte Carlo simulations of each source model with different noise realisations, to obtain distributions of the Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) estimates. We find that, in the presence of resolved asymmetric source structure and a given array geometry, the traditional practice of fringe-fitting with a point source model yields appreciable offsets in the estimated phase residuals, potentially biasing or limiting the dynamic range of the starting model used for self-calibration. Simultaneously estimating the source structure earlier in the calibration process with formal uncertainties improves the precision and accuracy of fringe-fitting and establishes the potential of the available data especially when there is little prior information. We also note the potential applications of this method to astrometry and geodesy for specific science cases and the planned improvements to the computational performance and analyses of more complex source distributions., Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS

Many low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs) contain a compact radio core which can be observed with high angular resolution using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Combining arcsec-scale structural information with milliarcsec-resolution VLBI imaging is a useful way to characterise the objects and to find compact cores on parsec scales. VLBI imaging could also be employed to look for dual AGNs when the sources show kpc-scale double symmetric structure with flat or inverted radio spectra. We observed five such sources at redshifts 0.36 < z < 0.58 taken from an optically selected sample of Type 2 quasars with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.7 and 5 GHz. Out of the five sources, only one (SDSS J1026-0042) shows a confidently detected compact VLBI core at both frequencies. The other four sources are marginally detected at 1.7 GHz only, indicating resolved-out radio structure and steep spectra. Using first-epoch data from the ongoing Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array Sky Survey, we confirm that indeed all four of these sources have steep radio spectra on arcsec scale, contrary to the inverted spectra reported earlier in the literature. However, the VLBI-detected source, SDSS J1026-0042, has a flat integrated spectrum. Radio AGNs that show kpc-scale symmetric structures with truly flat or inverted spectra could still be promising candidates of dual AGNs, to be targeted with VLBI observations in the future., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, appeared in the open-access journal Symmetry (special issue: Astronomy and Symmetry)

Highly accreting quasars are quite luminous in the X-ray and optical regimes. While, they tend to become radio quiet and have optically thin radio spectra. Among the known quasars, IRAS F11119+3257 is a supercritical accretion source because it has a bolometric luminosity above the Eddington limit and extremely powerful X-ray outflows. To probe its radio structure, we investigated its radio spectrum between 0.15 and 96.15 GHz and performed very-long-baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.66 and 4.93 GHz. The deep EVN image at 1.66 GHz shows a two-sided jet with a projected separation about two hundred parsec and a very high flux density ratio of about 290. Together with the best-fit value of the integrated spectral index of -1.31+/-0.02 in the optically thin part, we infer that the approaching jet has an intrinsic speed at least 0.57 times of the light speed. This is a new record among the known all kinds of super-Eddington accreting sources and unlikely accelerated by the radiation pressure. We propose a scenario in which IRAS F11119+3257 is an unusual compact symmetric object with a small jet viewing angle and a radio spectrum peaking at 0.53+/-0.06 GHz mainly due to the synchrotron self-absorption., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The population of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) in nearby dwarf galaxies plays an important "ground truth" role in exploring black hole formation and growth in the early Universe. In the dwarf elliptical galaxy SDSS J090613.77+561015.2 (z=0.0465), an accreting IMBH has been revealed by optical and X-ray observations. Aiming to search for possible radio core and jet associated with the IMBH, we carried out very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 1.66 GHz. Our imaging results show that there are two 1-mJy components with a separation of about 52 mas (projected distance 47 pc) and the more compact component is located within the 1-sigma error circle of the optical centroid from available Gaia astrometry. Based on their positions, elongated structures and relatively high brightness temperatures, as well as the absence of star-forming activity in the host galaxy, we argue that the radio morphology originates from the jet activity powered by the central IMBH. The existence of the large-scale jet implies that violent jet activity might occur in the early epochs of black hole growth and thus help to regulate the co-evolution of black holes and galaxies., Comment: Accepted for publication as a Letter in MNRAS

The quest for binary and dual supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at the dawn of the multi-messenger era is compelling. Detecting dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) -- active SMBHs at projected separations larger than several parsecs -- and binary AGN -- probing the scale where SMBHs are bound in a Keplerian binary -- is an observational challenge. The study of AGN pairs (either dual or binary) also represents an overarching theoretical problem in cosmology and astrophysics. The AGN triggering calls for detailed knowledge of the hydrodynamical conditions of gas in the imminent surroundings of the SMBHs and, at the same time, their duality calls for detailed knowledge on how galaxies assemble through major and minor mergers and grow fed by matter along the filaments of the cosmic web. This review describes the techniques used across the electromagnetic spectrum to detect dual and binary AGN candidates and proposes new avenues for their search. The current observational status is compared with the state-of-the-art numerical simulations and models for formation of dual and binary AGN. Binary SMBHs are among the loudest sources of gravitational waves (GWs) in the Universe. The search for a background of GWs at nHz frequencies from inspiralling SMBHs at low redshifts, and the direct detection of signals from their coalescence by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna in the next decade, make this a theme of major interest for multi-messenger astrophysics. This review discusses the future facilities and observational strategies that are likely to significantly advance this fascinating field., Comment: 69 pages, 21 figures. Accepted for publication in New Astronomy Reviews

Blazars are a sub-class of quasars with Doppler boosted jets oriented close to the line of sight, and thus efficient probes of supermassive black hole growth and their environment, especially at high redshifts. Here we report on Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations of a blazar J0906+6930 at z = 5.47, which enabled the detection of polarised emission and measurement of jet proper motion at parsec scales. The observations suggest a less powerful jet compared with the general blazar population, including lower proper motion and bulk Lorentz factor. This coupled with a previously inferred high accretion rate indicate a transition from an accretion radiative power to a jet mechanical power based transfer of energy and momentum to the surrounding gas.While alternative scenarios could not be fully ruled out, our results indicate a possibly nascent jet embedded in and interacting with a dense medium resulting in a jet bending., Comment: 3 figures, 2 supplementary figures

This paper presents the ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper for a concept of TeraHertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA). It addresses the science case and some implementation issues of a space-borne radio interferometric system for ultra-sharp imaging of celestial radio sources at the level of angular resolution down to (sub-) microarcseconds. THEZA focuses at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths (frequencies above $\sim$300~GHz), but allows for science operations at longer wavelengths too. The THEZA concept science rationale is focused on the physics of spacetime in the vicinity of supermassive black holes as the leading science driver. The main aim of the concept is to facilitate a major leap by providing researchers with orders of magnitude improvements in the resolution and dynamic range in direct imaging studies of the most exotic objects in the Universe, black holes. The concept will open up a sizeable range of hitherto unreachable parameters of observational astrophysics. It unifies two major lines of development of space-borne radio astronomy of the past decades: Space VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) and mm- and sub-mm astrophysical studies with "single dish" instruments. It also builds upon the recent success of the Earth-based Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) -- the first-ever direct image of a shadow of the super-massive black hole in the centre of the galaxy M87. As an amalgam of these three major areas of modern observational astrophysics, THEZA aims at facilitating a breakthrough in high-resolution high image quality studies in the millimetre and sub-millimetre domain of the electromagnetic spectrum., Comment: White Paper submitted in response to the ESA Call Voyage 2050

Over the last decade, the continuing decline in the cost of digital computing technology has brought about a dramatic transformation in how digital instrumentation for radio astronomy is developed and operated. In most cases, it is now possible to interface consumer computing hardware, e.g. inexpensive graphics processing units and storage devices, directly to the raw data streams produced by radio telescopes. Such systems bring with them myriad benefits: straightforward upgrade paths, cost savings through leveraging an economy of scale, and a lowered barrier to entry for scientists and engineers seeking to add new instrument capabilities. Additionally, the typical data-interconnect technology used with general-purpose computing hardware -- Ethernet -- naturally permits multiple subscribers to a single raw data stream. This allows multiple science programs to be conducted in parallel. When combined with broad bandwidths and wide primary fields of view, radio telescopes become capable of achieving many science goals simultaneously. Moreover, because many science programs are not strongly dependent on observing cadence and direction (e.g. searches for extraterrestrial intelligence and radio transient surveys), these so-called "commensal" observing programs can dramatically increase the scientific productivity and discovery potential of an observatory. In this whitepaper, we detail a project to add an Ethernet-based commensal observing mode to the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and discuss how this mode could be leveraged to conduct a powerful program to constrain the distribution of advanced life in the universe through a search for radio emission indicative of technology. We also discuss other potential science use-cases for the system, and how the system could be used for technology development towards next-generation processing systems for the Next Generation VLA., Comment: Astro2020 APC White Paper

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA), with the aim of achieving a collecting area of one square kilometre, will be the world's largest radio telescope. A scientific collaboration between 12 countries (with more to join), it will consist of one Observatory with 2 telescopes located in South Africa and Australia. The telescope deployment is planned in two phases, but even in its first stage (SKA1) it will already enable transformational science in a broad range of scientific objectives. The inclusion of SKA1 in the Global VLBI networks (SKA-VLBI) will provide access to very high angular resolution to SKA science programmes in anticipation of the science to be realized with the full telescope deployment (SKA2). This contribution provides an overview of the SKA Observatory VLBI capability, the key operational concepts and outlines the need to update the science use cases., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, conference

We investigate the performance of the generalized Spectral Kurtosis (SK) estimator in detecting and discriminating natural and artificial very short duration transients in the 2-bit sampling time domain Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data. We demonstrate that, while both types of transients may be efficiently detected, their natural or artificial nature cannot be distinguished if only a time domain SK analysis is performed. However, these two types of transients become distinguishable from each other in the spectral domain, after a 32-bit FFT operation is performed on the 2-bit time domain voltages. We discuss the implication of these findings on the ability of the Spectral Kurtosis estimator to automatically detect bright astronomical transient signals of interests -- such as pulsar or fast radio bursts (FRB) -- in VLBI data streams that have been severely contaminated by unwanted radio frequency interference., Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures

A significant fraction of the observing time with the two phase-I SKA telescopes (SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID) will be spent on Key Science Projects led by member country scientists. The various SKA Science Working Groups, including the VLBI Focus Group are in the process of defining KSPs that are aligned with the High Priority Science Objectives of the SKA. At the moment it is not clear how the special observing mode of SKA-VLBI - when the SKA1 components are phased-up and included in VLBI networks - could be incorporated in KSPs. The VLBI community needs to be prepared by the time the KSP proposal calls are expected (mid-2020s). In this paper we outline the basic concept of SKA-VLBI, and some possibilities for us to engage in SKA KSPs., Comment: Presented at the 14th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users Meeting (EVN 2018), 8-11 October 2018, Granada, Spain. 7 pages 2x2 figures. Will appear in Proceedings of Science

Radio jets can play multiple roles in the feedback loop by regulating the accretion of the gas, by enhancing gas turbulence, and by driving gas outflows. Numerical simulations are beginning to make detailed predictions about these processes. Using high resolution VLBI observations we test these predictions by studying how radio jets of different power and in different phases of evolution affect the properties and kinematics of the surrounding HI gas. Consistent with predictions, we find that young (or recently restarted) radio jets have stronger impact as shown by the presence of HI outflows. The outflowing medium is clumpy {with clouds of with sizes up to a few tens of pc and mass ~10^4 m_sun) already in the region close to the nucleus ($< 100$ pc), making the jet interact strongly and shock the surrounding gas. We present a case of a low-power jet where, as suggested by the simulations, the injection of energy may produce an increase in the turbulence of the medium instead of an outflow., Comment: To appear in proceedings of Focus Meeting 3: Radio Galaxies: Resolving the AGN phenomenon, XXXth IAU General Assembly, "Astronomy in Focus, Volume I," Volker Beckmann & Claudio Ricci, eds. 4 pages, 2 figures

We present a search for late-time rebrightening of radio emission from three supernovae (SNe) with associated gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). It has been previously proposed that the unusually energetic SNe associated with GRBs should enter the Sedov-Taylor phase decades after the stellar explosion, and this SN "remnant" emission will outshine the GRB radio afterglow and be detectable at significant distances. We place deep limits on the radio luminosity of GRB 980425/SN 1998bw, GRB 030329/SN 2003dh and GRB 060218/SN 2006aj, 10-18 years after explosion, with our deepest limit being $L_{\nu}$ $< 4 \times 10^{26}$ erg s$^{-1}$ Hz$^{-1}$ for GRB 980425/SN 1998bw. We put constraints on the density of the surrounding medium for various assumed values of the microphysical parameters related to the magnetic field and synchrotron-emitting electrons. For GRB 060218/SN 2006aj and GRB 980425/SN 1998bw, these density limits have implications for the density profile of the surrounding medium, while the non-detection of GRB 030329/SN 2003dh implies that its afterglow will not be detectable anymore at GHz frequencies., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

Double-peaked emission lines in the narrow- and/or broad-line spectra of AGN have been suggested to arise due to disky broad/narrow line regions, jet-medium interaction, or the presence of binary supermassive black holes. We present the results from 1.5 and 4.9 GHz phase-referenced Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of the Seyfert type 2 galaxy KISSR 434, which exhibits double-peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. We detect a steep-spectrum ($\alpha<-1$), curved and long (~150 parsec) jet in the VLBI images of KISSR 434. The jet curvature could be a result of precession rather than ram-pressure bending from a rotating ISM. Precession could in turn arise due to a warped accretion disk or the presence of a binary black hole with a separation of 0.015 parsec, not accessible to present day telescopes. An examination of the emission line ratios with the MAPPINGS III code reveals that AGN photoionization is likely to be responsible for the observed line ratios and not shock-ionization due to the jet. A light (with jet-to-ambient medium density ratio of $\eta\sim0.01$) and fast (with speed $v_j\gtrsim0.75c$) precessing jet in KISSR 434 may have stirred up the emission-line gas clouds to produce the observed splits in the narrow line peaks but is not powerful enough to shock-ionise the gas., Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, ApJ accepted. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1708.00618

Radio SETI experiments aim to test the hypothesis that extraterrestrial civilizations emit detectable signals from communication, propulsion, or other technologies. The unprecedented capabilities of next generation radio telescopes, including ngVLA, will allow us to probe hitherto unexplored regions of parameter space, thereby placing meaningful limits on the prevalence of technological civilizations in the Universe (or, if we are fortunate, making one of the most significant discoveries in the history of science). ngVLA provides critical capabilities in the 10 - 100 GHz range, and will be a valuable complement to SKA in the southern hemisphere, as well as surveying the sky at frequencies underexplored by previous SETI experiments., Comment: To be published in the ASP Monograph Series, "Science with a Next-Generation VLA", ed. E. J. Murphy (ASP, San Francisco, CA). Corrected author list / affiliations; minor text edits

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) accreting at rates close to the Eddington limit can host radiatively driven mildly relativistic outflows. Some of these X-ray absorbing but powerful outflows may produce strong shocks resulting in a significant non-thermal emission. This outflow-driven radio emission may be detectable in the radio-quiet quasar PDS 456 since it has a bolometric luminosity reaching the Eddington limit and a relativistic wide-aperture X-ray outflow with a kinetic power high enough to quench the star formation in its host galaxy. To investigate this possibility, we performed very-long-baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations of the quasar with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 5 GHz. The EVN image with the full resolution reveals two faint and diffuse radio components with a projected separation of about 20 pc and an average brightness temperature of around two million Kelvin. In relation to the optical sub-mas-accuracy position measured by the Gaia mission, the two components are very likely on opposite sides of an undetected radio core. The VLBI structure at the deca-pc scale can thus be either a young jet or a bidirectional radio-emitting outflow, launched in the vicinity of a strongly accreting central engine. Two diffuse components at the hecto-pc scale, likely the relic radio emission from the past AGN activity, are tentatively detected on each side in the low-resolution EVN image., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The existence of spiral DRAGNs challenges standard galaxy formation theories. We present the first observation of 0313$-$192, the archetypal spiral DRAGN, at VLBI resolutions. Spiral DRAGNs are Double Radio Sources Associated with Galactic Nuclei (DRAGNs) that are hosted by spiral galaxies. 0313$-$192 is an edge-on spiral galaxy that appears to host a 360 kpc double-lobed radio source. The core of this galaxy is clearly detected at L, S, and X-bands using the VLBA, signifying an ongoing active nucleus in the galaxy. This rules out the possibility that the spiral DRAGN is merely a chance alignment. The radio core has L$_{1.4\,GHz} \sim 3.0 \times 10^{23}$W Hz$^{-1}$. Radio components are detected to the South-West of the core, but there are no detections of a counterjet. Assuming a symmetric, relativistic jet, we estimate an upper limit to the inclination angle of $\theta \lesssim 72$ degrees. The VLBI-detected radio jet components are extremely well-aligned with the larger-scale radio source suggesting little to no jet disruption or interaction with the ISM of the host galaxy., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We present SMA and NOEMA observations of the host galaxy of FRB 121102 in the CO 3-2 and 1-0 transitions, respectively. We do not detect emission from either transition. We set $3\sigma$ upper limits to the CO luminosity $L_{CO} < 2.5 \times 10^7\,{\rm K\,km\,s}^{-1} {\, \rm pc^{-2}}$ for CO 3-2 and $L_{CO} < 2.3 \times 10^9\, {\rm K\,km\,s}^{-1} {\, \rm pc^{-2}}$ for CO 1-0. For Milky-Way-like star formation properties, we set a $3\sigma$ upper limit on the $H_2$ mass of $2.5 \times 10^8 \rm\ M_{\odot}$, slightly less than the predictions for the $H_2$ mass based on the star formation rate. The true constraint on the $H_2$ mass may be significantly higher, however, because of the reduction in CO luminosity that is common forlow-metallicity dwarf galaxies like the FRB host galaxy. These results demonstrate the challenge of identifying the nature of FRB progenitors through study of the host galaxy molecular gas. We also place a limit of 42 $\mu$Jy ($3\sigma$) on the continuum flux density of the persistent radio source at 97 GHz, consistent with a power-law extrapolation of the low frequency spectrum, which may arise from an AGN or other nonthermal source., Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ

Newton's gravitational constant $G$ may vary with time at an extremely low level. The time variability of $G$ will affect the orbital motion of a millisecond pulsar in a binary system and cause a tiny difference between the orbital period-dependent measurement of the kinematic distance and the direct measurement of the annual parallax distance. PSR J0437$-$4715 is the nearest millisecond pulsar and the brightest at radio. To explore the feasibility of achieving a parallax distance accuracy of one light-year, comparable to the recent timing result, with the technique of differential astrometry, we searched for compact radio sources quite close to PSR J0437$-$4715. Using existing data from the Very Large Array and the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we detected two sources with flat spectra, relatively stable flux densities of 0.9 and 1.0 mJy at 8.4 GHz and separations of 13 and 45 arcsec. With a network consisting of the Long Baseline Array and the Kunming 40-m radio telescope, we found that both sources have a point-like structure and a brightness temperature of $\geq$10$^7$ K. According to these radio inputs and the absence of counterparts in the other bands, we argue that they are most likely the compact radio cores of extragalactic active galactic nuclei rather than Galactic radio stars. The finding of these two radio active galactic nuclei will enable us to achieve a sub-pc distance accuracy with the in-beam phase-referencing very-long-baseline interferometric observations and provide one of the most stringent constraints on the time variability of $G$ in the near future., Comment: 9 pages, 3 tables, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Radio-loud high-redshift quasars (HRQs), although only a few of them are known to date, are crucial for the studies of the growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGN) at early cosmological epochs. Radio jets offer direct evidence of SMBHs, and their radio structures can be studied with the highest angular resolution using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Here we report on the observations of three HRQs (J0131-0321, J0906+6930, J1026+2542) at z>5 using the Korean VLBI Network and VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry Arrays (together known as KaVA) with the purpose of studying their pc-scale jet properties. The observations were carried out at 22 and 43 GHz in 2016 January among the first-batch open-use experiments of KaVA. The quasar J0906+6930 was detected at 22 GHz but not at 43 GHz. The other two sources were not detected and upper limits to their compact radio emission are given. Archival VLBI imaging data and single-dish 15-GHz monitoring light curve of J0906+6930 were also acquired as complementary information. J0906+6930 shows a moderate-level variability at 15 GHz. The radio image is characterized by a core-jet structure with a total detectable size of ~5 pc in projection. The brightness temperature, 1.9x10^{11} K, indicates relativistic beaming of the jet. The radio properties of J0906+6930 are consistent with a blazar. Follow-up VLBI observations will be helpful for determining its structural variation., Comment: accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Main Journal. 8 pages, 3 figures

High-redshift quasars are important to study galaxy and active galactic nuclei (AGN) evolution, test cosmological models, and study supermassive black hole growth. Optical searches for high-redshift sources have been very successful, but radio searches are not hampered by dust obscuration and should be more effective at finding sources at even higher redshifts. Identifying high-redshift sources based on radio data is, however, not trivial. Here we report on new multi-frequency Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations of eight z>4.5 sources previously studied at high angular resolution with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Combining these observations with those from the literature, we construct broad-band radio spectra of all 30 z>4.5 sources that have been observed with VLBI. In the sample we found flat, steep and peaked spectra in approximately equal proportions. Despite several selection effects, we conclude that the z>4.5 VLBI (and likely also non-VLBI) sources have diverse spectra and that only about a quarter of the sources in the sample have flat spectra. Previously, the majority of high-redshift radio sources were identified based on their ultra-steep spectra (USS). Recently a new method has been proposed to identify these objects based on their megahertz-peaked spectra (MPS). Neither method would have identified more than 18% of the high-redshift sources in this sample. More effective methods are necessary to reliably identify complete samples of high-redshift sources based on radio data., Comment: 24 pages, 32 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The precise localization of the repeating fast radio burst (FRB 121102) has provided the first unambiguous association (chance coincidence probability $p\lesssim3\times10^{-4}$) of an FRB with an optical and persistent radio counterpart. We report on optical imaging and spectroscopy of the counterpart and find that it is an extended ($0.6^{\prime\prime}-0.8^{\prime\prime}$) object displaying prominent Balmer and [OIII] emission lines. Based on the spectrum and emission line ratios, we classify the counterpart as a low-metallicity, star-forming, $m_{r^\prime} = 25.1$ AB mag dwarf galaxy at a redshift of $z=0.19273(8)$, corresponding to a luminosity distance of 972 Mpc. From the angular size, the redshift, and luminosity, we estimate the host galaxy to have a diameter $\lesssim4$ kpc and a stellar mass of $M_*\sim4-7\times 10^{7}\,M_\odot$, assuming a mass-to-light ratio between 2 to 3$\,M_\odot\,L_\odot^{-1}$. Based on the H$\alpha$ flux, we estimate the star formation rate of the host to be $0.4\,M_\odot\,\mathrm{yr^{-1}}$ and a substantial host dispersion measure depth $\lesssim 324\,\mathrm{pc\,cm^{-3}}$. The net dispersion measure contribution of the host galaxy to FRB 121102 is likely to be lower than this value depending on geometrical factors. We show that the persistent radio source at FRB 121102's location reported by Marcote et al (2017) is offset from the galaxy's center of light by $\sim$200 mas and the host galaxy does not show optical signatures for AGN activity. If FRB 121102 is typical of the wider FRB population and if future interferometric localizations preferentially find them in dwarf galaxies with low metallicities and prominent emission lines, they would share such a preference with long gamma ray bursts and superluminous supernovae., Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Published in ApJ Letters. V2: Corrected mistake in author list