Using variability and VLBI to measure cosmological distances

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new approach to determining cosmological distances to active galactic nuclei (AGN) via light travel-time arguments, which can be extended from nearby sources to very high redshift sources. The key assumption is that the variability seen in AGN is constrained by the speed of light and therefore provides an estimate of the linear size of an emitting region. This can then be compared with the angular size measured with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) in order to derive a distance. We demonstrate this approach on a specific well studied low redshift (z = 0.0178) source 3C84 (NGC 1275), which is the bright radio core of the Perseus Cluster. We derive an angular diameter distance including statistical errors of $D_A=72_{-6}^{+5}$ Mpc for this source, which is consistent with other distance measurements at this redshift. Possible sources of systematic errors and ways to correct for them are discussed.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication in MNRAS Letters, 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 table

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Cosmology Intertwined: A Review of the Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Associated with the Cosmological Tensions and Anomalies
• A detailed kinematic study of 3C 84 and its connection to Gamma-rays
• Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs: Measuring the Magnetic Field Strength of 4C +29.45
• Estimating the feasibility of `standard speed-gun' distances
• Detection of an orthogonal alignment between parsec scale AGN jets and their host galaxies
• Distance Duality Test: The Evolution of Radio Sources Mimics a Nonexpanding Universe