Open Access3C 254: MERLIN observations of a highly asymmetric quasar
Author(s) -
Thomasson P.,
Saikia D. J.,
Muxlow T. W. B.
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.1365-2966.2006.10955.x
Subject(s) - physics , merlin (protein) , quasar , astrophysics , interferometry , core (optical fiber) , astronomy , jet (fluid) , relativistic beaming , x shaped radio galaxy , very long baseline interferometry , active galactic nucleus , optics , galaxy , thermodynamics , medicine , cancer , suppressor
Multifrequency, high‐resolution radio observations of the quasar 3C 254 using the Multi‐Element Radio‐linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) are presented. The quasar has a highly asymmetric radio structure, with the eastern component of the double‐lobed structure being much closer to the nucleus and significantly less polarized than the western one. However, the two lobes are more symmetric in their total flux densities. The observations show the detailed structure of the hotspots which are very different on opposite sides of the radio core, reveal no radio jet and suggest that the oppositely directed jets may be intrinsically asymmetric.