Radio Structure of Seyfert Galaxies

Extract

We have recently mapped about a dozen Seyfert galaxies with the Very Large Array at 5 GHz and obtained less complete structural information on about a dozen more. Most sources are heavily resolved at resolutions near or below 1 arc sec, with linear scales in the range several hundred parsecs to a few kiloparsecs. For 3 galaxies (Mark 3, NGC 1068 and NGC 5548) the structure is double with two components more or less symmetrically placed on opposite sides of the optical nucleus. A third component, when present, coincides with the optical nucleus. This result provides strong evidence that “double radio source machines” also reside in the nuclei of active spiral galaxies as well as ellipticals. Other sources show a more diffuse morphology, but usually also possess a compact radio source associated with the optical continuum nucleus. A close relation between the extended radio emission and the thermal gas in the forbidden line region is indicated since (a) they have similar extents, (b) the radio and forbidden line powers are correlated, (c) the relativistic plus magnetic (B²_eq/4π) and thermal pressures (n_ekT_e) are similar and (d) the kinetic energy of the thermal gas and the minimum energy for synchrotron radiation are comparable. For the double sources, the radio emitting plasma is probably ejected from the compact nucleus and slowed by the large quantities of thermal gas in the forbidden line region. Alternatively, radio sources with more diffuse morphology may derive their luminosity from cosmic rays accelerated “in situ” by shock waves associated with the high velocity thermal gas and a magnetic field from a compressed (accreted?) interstellar medium.