VLBI Detections of Parsec-Scale Nonthermal Jets in Radio-Loud Broad Absorption Line Quasars

Abstract

We conducted radio detection observations at 8.4 GHz for 22 radio-loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Third Data Release, by a very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) technique. The VLBI instrument we used was developed by the Optically ConnecTed Array for VLBI Exploration project (OCTAVE), which is operated as a subarray of the Japanese VLBI Network (JVN). We aimed at selecting BAL quasars with nonthermal jets suitable for measuring their orientation angles and ages by subsequent detailed VLBI imaging studies to evaluate two controversial issues of whether BAL quasars are viewed nearly edge-on, and of whether BAL quasars are in a short-lived evolutionary phase of quasar population. We detected 20 out of 22 sources using the OCTAVE baselines, implying brightness temperatures greater than 10^5 K, which presumably come from nonthermal jets. Hence, BAL outflows and nonthermal jets can be generated simultaneously in these central engines. We also found four inverted-spectrum sources, which are interpreted as Doppler-beamed, pole-on-viewed relativistic jet sources or young radio sources: single edge-on geometry cannot describe all BAL quasars. We discuss the implications of the OCTAVE observations for investigations for the orientation and evolutionary stage of BAL quasars.

arXiv comment10 pages, no figure, 3 tables, accepted for publication in PASJ

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• Orientation effects in quasar spectra: The broad- and narrow-line regions
• The Viewing Angles of Broad Absorption Line Versus Unabsorbed Quasars
• Origin of the complex radio structure in BAL QSO 1045+352
• The extraordinary mid-infrared spectral properties of FeLoBAL Quasars
• The parsec-scale structure of radio-loud broad absorption line quasars
• Connecting radio emission to AGN wind properties with Broad Absorption Line Quasars
• The optical variability of steep-spectrum radio quasars in the SDSS Stripe 82 region
• Spectropolarimetry of Radio-Selected Broad Absorption Line Quasars
• VLBA Multi-frequency Polarimetric imaging of Radio-loud Broad Absorption Line Quasars
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• Intranight optical variability of radio-loud broad absorption line quasars
• Multifrequency VLBI Observations of the Broad Absorption Line Quasar J1020+4320: Recently Restarted Jet Activity?
• Trigonometric parallax and proper motion of Sagittarius A* measured by VERA using the new broad-band back-end system OCTAVE-DAS