The Bulk Flow Velocity and Acceleration of the Inner Jet in M\,87
Brian Punsly

TL;DR
This study estimates the bulk flow velocity of M87's inner jet using high-sensitivity VLBA imaging, revealing a uniformly accelerating flow with velocities up to 0.38c, which constrains jet dynamics models.
Contribution
It introduces a method to derive bulk flow velocities from surface brightness profiles, independent of feature motions, providing new insights into jet acceleration near the black hole.
Findings
Jet accelerates from ~0.27c to ~0.38c within 0.65 mas from the nucleus.
Velocity field derived is likely bulk flow, not pattern speed.
Results can help refine numerical models of jet formation and acceleration.
Abstract
A high sensitivity, 7mm Very Long Baseline Array image of M\,87 is analyzed in order to estimate the jet velocity within 0.65 mas of the point of origin. The image captured a high signal to noise, double-ridged, counter-jet extending mas from the nucleus. After defining conditions and requirements that justify approximate time averaged bilateral symmetry, a continuous set of Lorentz transformations are found that map the double-ridged counter-jet intensity profile into the double-ridged jet intensity profile. The mapping is realized by a uniformly accelerating flow with intrinsic velocity of c at 0.4 mas (a de-projected distance of 0.38 lt-yrs) to c at 0.65 mas (a de-projected distance of 0.61 lt-yrs) from the nucleus. Since the velocity field is derived from the global surface brightness profile and does not depend on the motion of enhanced features, it is…
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