The Central Engine of M87

AST 98-023057 William Junor 朱诺博士正在进行一项为期两年的计划，以观察和分析星系M87的中心区域。 他正在使用甚长基线阵列（VLBA）的偏振测量，以及甚长基线干涉仪（VLBI）的18厘米观测。VLBI计划将与VLBI卫星和VSOP/HALCA相连。 该VLBI计划是VSOP/HALCA关键科学计划的一部分。 M87是离我们最近的有明亮核心的活跃星系。 目前的理论将一个超大质量黑洞与一个轨道吸积盘放在M87的中心。 有一个准直（超过五个数量级的规模）流从这个地区向外。 朱诺博士正在追踪喷流的形态和亮度演变。 HST观测表明，这个星系的核心可能包含一个2 x 109太阳质量的超大质量黑洞。 这些无线电观测补充了正在进行的HST光学监测计划。 M87是已知的少于十个具有光学同步辐射的星系之一。 该计划对核心和喷流进行VLBI偏振测量，是第一个以如此高的分辨率研究这一关键源的此类计划，它将研究磁场在准直喷流中的作用和喷流的磁场拓扑结构。 ***

AST 98-023057 William Junor Dr. Junor is undertaking a two year program to observe and analyze the central regions of the galaxy M87. He is using polarimetry from the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), and 18cm observations from the Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) The VLBI programs will link to the VLBI satellite and VSOP/HALCA. This VLBI program is part of VSOP/HALCA's Key Science Program. M87 is the nearest active galaxy with a bright core. Current theories place a supermassive black hole with an orbiting accreting disk at the center of M87. There is a collimated (over five orders of magnitude of scale) flow outward from this region. Dr. Junor is tracking the morphological and brightness evolution of the jet. HST observations have indicated that the core of this galaxy may contain a supermassive black hole of 2 x 109 solar masses. These radio observations complement the on-going program of HST optical monitoring. M87 is one of the fewer than ten known to have optical synchrotron emission. The program with VLBI polarimetry of the core and the jet is the first such program on this key source at this very high resolution, and it will investigate both the role of the magnetic field in collimating the jet and the magnetic field topology of the jet. ***