GPS & CSS radio sources and space-VLBI

TL;DR

This paper reviews the research status of young extragalactic radio sources, focusing on VLBI and space-VLBI results, and discusses how upcoming VSOP-2 observations could clarify the nature of certain radio sources.

Contribution

It highlights the potential of the upcoming VSOP-2 mission to resolve key questions about the morphology and classification of GPS and CSS radio sources.

Findings

VSOP-2 will achieve unprecedented angular resolution in VLBI observations.

Potential to identify Ultra-compact Symmetric Objects among HFP sources.

Clarifies the evolutionary status of young radio sources.

Abstract

A short overview is given of the status of research on young extragalactic radio sources. We concentrate on Very Long Baseline Interferometric (VLBI), and space-VLBI results obtained with the VLBI Space Observatory Programme (VSOP). In 2012, VSOP-2 will be launched, which will allow VLBI observations at an unprecedented angular resolution. One particular question VSOP-2 could answer is whether some of the High Frequency Peakers (HFP) are indeed the youngest objects in the family of GPS and CSS sources. VSOP-2 observations can reveal their angular morphology and determine whether any are Ultra-compact Symmetric Objects.