Structural variability of 3C 111 on parsec scales

TL;DR

This paper investigates the structural variability of the 3C 111 jet on parsec scales during a 2007 radio outburst, revealing the formation of a leading component and trailing features through VLBA data analysis.

Contribution

It provides new insights into jet dynamics by analyzing multi-epoch VLBA data and modeling component ejections during a significant flux outburst.

Findings

Detection of a leading jet component during the outburst

Identification of multiple trailing components following the ejection

Correlation between flux outburst and jet structural changes

Abstract

We discuss the parsec-scale structural variability of the extragalactic jet 3C 111 related to a major radio flux density outburst in 2007. The data analyzed were taken within the scope of the MOJAVE, UMRAO, and F-GAMMA programs, which monitor a large sample of the radio brightest compact extragalactic jets with the VLBA, the University of Michigan 26 m, the Effelsberg 100 m, and the IRAM 30 m radio telescopes. The analysis of the VLBA data is performed by fitting Gaussian model components in the visibility domain. We associate the ejection of bright features in the radio jet with a major flux-density outburst in 2007. The evolution of these features suggests the formation of a leading component and multiple trailing components.