VLBI imaging of M81* at 43GHz

TL;DR

This study used 7mm VLBI imaging to measure the size and structure of M81*'s core, confirming a frequency-dependent size law and revealing detailed morphology at unprecedented resolution.

Contribution

First 7mm VLBI image of M81*'s core, providing constraints on its size and structure at microarcsecond resolution, and testing the frequency-size relation at shorter wavelengths.

Findings

Measured core size down to 38 microarcseconds

Confirmed size scales with frequency as Theta ∝ nu^(-0.88)

Detected extended emission with specific orientation

Abstract

The nearby spiral galaxy M81 harbors in its core a Low-Luminosity AGN (LLAGN), and appears closely related to the more distant and powerful AGNs seen in quasars and radio galaxies. The intrinsic size of this object is unknown due to scattering, and it has shown a core-jet morphology with weak extended emission rotating with wavelength. The proximity of M\,81 (D=3.63 Mpc) allows a detailed investigation of its nucleus to be made. The nucleus is four orders of magnitude more luminous than the Galactic centre, and is therefore considered a link between SgrA* and the more powerful nuclei of radio galaxies and quasars. Our main goal was to determine the size of M81* at a shorter wavelength thus directly testing whether the frequency-size dependent law Theta propto nu^(-0.8) was still valid for wavelengths shorter than 1cm. In addition, we also aimed to confirm the rotation of the source as a function of frequency. We observed the continuum 7mm radio emission of M81* using the Very Long Baseline Array on Sep 13, 2002, using nearby calibrators to apply their interferometric observables to the target source, to increase the chances of detection. The source was detected on all baselines and hybrid mapping was possible. We present the first 7mm VLBI image of the core of M81*, which represents the highest resolution image ever of this source. Modeling the interferometric visibilities with two Gaussian functions sets constraints on the angular size of its core down to 38 microarcseconds, corresponding to a maximum (projected) linear size of 138AU, and shows extended emission towards the NE with a position angle of ~50deg. A fit of one Gaussian elliptical function yields a position angle of 28+/-8 degrees for its elongated, compact structure. Combining the 7mm size with earlier measurements at other frequencies we determine a frequency-size dependence of Theta propto nu^(-0.88+/-0.04).