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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
VLBI
observations remain the only direct
evidence for relativistic outflows from supermassive black
holes in
active galactic nuclei (AGN). The MOJAVE program
realizes one of
the
envisioned goals of the VLBA, which is to provide
long-term, systematic
monitoring of relativistic motion in AGN jets on
parsec-scales. The
major aims of our program are to a) provide a significant
improvement
over previous surveys in terms of image resolution, size,
and
statistical completeness, and b) to characterize the
kinematics and
polarization evolution of AGN
jets and to determine how these relate to other source
properties. We
are currently providing up-to-date parsec-scale structural
information
on over 100 AGN jets in support of the Fermi
Gamma-Ray Observatory.
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Science Goals
There remain a great many unanswered questions about AGN
jets that are
being addressed by MOJAVE, which include:
- What is the overall distribution of superluminal
speeds and intrinsic
velocities in AGN jets?
- Where do relativistic flows get accelerated and
collimated to form jets?
- Do different components within a jet follow the same
or different trajectories?
- do they have the same or different speeds?
- are the trajectories curved or straight?
- are there accelerations or decelerations?
- How is the apparent velocity related to the nature of
the host galaxy and its luminosity at other wavelengths?
- Are there differences between the bulk flow velocity
and the pattern velocity as might be expected if the
observed motions
are due to the propagation of shocks rather than
the flow of
material?
- What is the nature of the material responsible for
altering the polarization properties of the jet
emission?
- By what mechanism is circularly polarized emission
produced in AGN jets?
- How are the gamma-ray emission and jet activity
correlated in AGN?
Our program differs from other VLBA monitoring programs
which run for
limited periods, or concentrate on specific sources or
classes of
sources, (e.g., gamma-ray loud, lobe-dominated,
peaked-spectrum) as one
of our goals is to understand how the kinematics differ
among these
groups. Our observations are important for
understanding jet
physics and evolution, and for providing constraints on
theoretical models. A
list of
publications from the MOJAVE project can be found here.
MOJAVE Projects that Have Appeared in Conference
Proceedings But Not Yet in a Refereed Publication
"MOJAVE: Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA
Experiments.: Circular Polarization Evolution of Blazar
Jets", Homan, D.C. et al.
"MOJAVE: Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA
Experiments. Kpc-Scale Jets of Hybrid and High Synchrotron
Peaked Blazars", Stanley, E. C., and Lister, M. L.
"MOJAVE: Monitoring of Jets in AGN with VLBA
Experiments. Parsec-Scale Intraday Variability of
Radio-Selected Blazars", Kuchibhotla, S., and Lister, M. L.
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