On the connection of the apparent proper motion and the VLBI structure of compact radio sources

TL;DR

This study investigates the relationship between apparent proper motions and VLBI jet structures in compact radio sources, finding a general correlation but also notable misalignments in some cases.

Contribution

It provides the first large-sample statistical analysis linking VLBI jet directions with proper motions of radio sources, revealing both correlations and significant deviations.

Findings

Correlation between jet structure and proper motion directions

Presence of cases with significant misalignment (~1-10 mas)

Supports the connection between brightness distribution changes and positional instability

Abstract

Many of the compact extragalactic radio sources that are used as fiducial points to define the celestial reference frame are known to have proper motions detectable with long-term geodetic/astrometric Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurements. These changes can be as high as several hundred micro-arcseconds per year for certain objects. When imaged with VLBI at milli-arcsecond (mas) angular resolution, these sources (radio-loud active galactic nuclei) typically show structures dominated by a compact, often unresolved "core" and a one-sided "jet". The positional instability of compact radio sources is believed to be connected with changes in their brightness distribution structure. For the first time, we test this assumption in a statistical sense on a large sample, not only for individual objects. We investigate a sample of 62 radio sources for which reliable long-term time series of astrometric positions as well as detailed 8-GHz VLBI brightness distribution models are available. We compare the characteristic direction of their extended jet structure and the direction of their apparent proper motion. We present our data and analysis method, and conclude that there is indeed a correlation between the two characteristic directions. However, there are cases where the ~1-10-mas scale VLBI jet directions are significantly misaligned with respect to the apparent proper motion direction.