Open AccessLong‐term monitoring of the intra‐day variable quasar PKS 0405−385
Author(s) -
KedzioraChudczer L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10321.x
Subject(s) - physics , quasar , interstellar medium , scintillation , astrophysics , line of sight , astronomy , line (geometry) , flux (metallurgy) , ovv quasar , optics , galaxy , geometry , mathematics , materials science , detector , metallurgy
The quasar PKS 0405−385 is one of three radio sources (the other two are PKS 1257−326 and J1819+385) which exhibit unusually strong and rapid interstellar scintillations at GHz frequencies. Such a behaviour suggests a nearby (<30 pc away) scattering screen along the line of sight to these radio sources. While quasars PKS 1257−326 and J1819+385 scintillate continuously over several years of monitoring, PKS 0405−385 shows episodes of strong scintillations which last only a few months. Here, I present the results of flux‐density monitoring of PKS 0405−385 over 6 yr at four Stokes parameters and four frequencies. Two explanations of the episodic behaviour of interstellar scintillation in this source are discussed; morphological evolution of the source and changes in the properties of the interstellar medium along the line of sight.