[en] We investigated the ALMA science verification data of Orion KL and found a spectral signature of the vibrationally excited H₂O maser line at 232.68670 GHz (ν₂ = 1, 5_5,0-6_4,3). This line has been detected previously in circumstellar envelopes of late-type stars but not in young stellar objects such as Orion KL. Thus, this is the first detection of the 232 GHz vibrationally excited H₂O maser in star-forming regions. The distribution of the 232 GHz maser is concentrated at the position of the radio Source I, which is remarkably different from other molecular lines. The spectrum shows a double-peak structure at the peak velocities of –2.1 and 13.3 km s^–1. It appears to be consistent with the 22 GHz H₂O masers and 43 GHz SiO masers observed around Source I. Thus, the 232 GHz H₂O maser around Source I would be excited by the internal heating by an embedded protostar, being associated with either the root of the outflows/jets or the circumstellar disk around Source I, as traced by the 22 GHz H₂O masers or 43 GHz SiO masers, respectively.

[en] We present an observational study of the vibrationally excited H₂O line at 658 GHz (${\mathrm{\nu <!--\; ??\; -->}}_2$ = 1, $1_{1,0}$-1${}_{0,1}$) toward Orion KL using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). This line is clearly detected at the position of the massive protostar candidate,  Source I. The spatial structure is compact, with a size of about 100 AU, and is elongated along the northeast–southwest low-velocity (18 km ⁻¹) bipolar outflow traced by 22 GHz H₂O masers, SiO masers, and thermal SiO lines. A velocity gradient can be seen perpendicular to the bipolar outflow. The overall spatial and velocity structure seems to be analogous to that of the 321 GHz H₂O maser line previously detected with ALMA and vibrationally excited SiO maser emission. The brightness temperature of the 658 GHz H₂O line is estimated to be higher than 2 × 10⁴ K, implying that it is emitted via maser action. Our results suggest that the 658 GHz H₂O maser line is emitted from the base of the outflow from a rotating and expanding accretion disk as observed for the SiO masers and the 321 GHz H₂O maser. We also search for two other H₂O lines at 646 GHz (9${}_{7,3}$-8${}_{8,0}$ and $9_{7,2}$-8${}_{8,1}$), but they are not detected in Orion KL.

[en] We introduce a new imaging method for radio interferometry based on sparse-modeling. The direct observables in radio interferometry are visibilities, which are Fourier transformation of an astronomical image on the sky-plane, and incomplete sampling of visibilities in the spatial frequency domain results in an under-determined problem, which has been usually solved with 0 filling to un-sampled grids. In this paper we propose to directly solve this under-determined problem using sparse modeling without 0 filling, which realizes super resolution, i.e., resolution higher than the standard refraction limit. We show simulation results of sparse modeling for the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of super-massive black holes and demonstrate that our approach has significant merit in observations of black hole shadows expected to be realized in near future. We also present some results with the method applied to real data, and also discuss more advanced techniques for practical observations such as imaging with closure phase as well as treating the effect of interstellar scattering effect. (paper)

[en] We investigated the detailed inner jet structure of M87 using Very Long Baseline Array data at 2, 5, 8.4, 15, 23.8, 43, and 86 GHz, especially focusing on the multi-frequency properties of the radio core at the jet base. First, we measured the size of the core region transverse to the jet axis, defined as W_c, at each frequency ν, and found a relation between W_c and ν: W_c(ν)∝ν^{–0.71±0.05}. Then, by combining W_c(ν) and the frequency dependence of the core position r_c(ν), which was obtained in our previous study, we constructed a collimation profile of the innermost jet W_c(r) down to ∼10 Schwarzschild radii (R_s) from the central black hole. We found that W_c(r) smoothly connects with the width profile of the outer edge-brightened, parabolic jet and then follows a similar radial dependence down to several tens of R_s. Closer to the black hole, the measured radial profile suggests a possible change in the jet collimation shape from the outer parabolic one, where the jet shape tends to become more radially oriented. This result could be related to a magnetic collimation process or/and interactions with surrounding materials at the jet base. The present results shed light on the importance of higher-sensitivity/resolution imaging studies of M87 at 86, 43, and 22 GHz; these studies should be examined more rigorously

[en] We report new Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of a circumstellar disk around Source I in Orion KL, an archetype of massive protostar candidates. We detected two ortho-H₂O lines at 321 GHz (10_{2, 9}-9_{3, 6}) and 336 GHz (ν₂ = 1, 5_{2, 3}-6_{1, 6}) for the first time in Source I. The latter one is in a vibrationally excited state at the lower state energy of 2939 K, suggesting evidence of hot molecular gas close to Source I. The integrated intensity map of the 321 GHz line is elongated along the bipolar outflow while the 336 GHz line map is unresolved with a beam size of 0.''4. Both of these maps show velocity gradients perpendicular to the bipolar outflow. The velocity centroid map of the 321 GHz line implies a spatial and velocity structure similar to that of vibrationally excited SiO masers tracing the root of the outflow emanating from the disk surface. In contrast, the 336 GHz line is most likely emitting from the disk midplane with a diameter of 0.''2 (84 AU) as traced by radio continuum emission and a dark lane devoid of the vibrationally excited SiO maser emission. The observed velocity gradient and the spectral profile of the 336 GHz H₂O line can be reconciled with a model of an edge-on ring-like structure with an enclosed mass of >7 M_☉ and an excitation temperature of >3000 K. The present results provide further evidence of a hot and neutral circumstellar disk rotating around Source I with a diameter of ∼100 AU scale

[en] We have carried out high-resolution observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) of continuum emission from the Orion Kleinmann–Low (KL) region. We identify 11 compact sources at ALMA band 6 (245 GHz) and band 7 (339 GHz), including the Hot Core, Compact Ridge, SMA1, IRc4, IRc7, and a radio source I (Source I). A spectral energy distribution (SED) of each source is determined by using previous 3 mm continuum emission data. Physical properties such as size, mass, hydrogen number density, and column density are discussed based on the dust graybody SED. Among 11 identified sources, Source I, a massive protostar candidate, is a dominant energy source in Orion KL. We extensively investigate its SED from centimeter to submillimeter wavelengths. The SED of Source I can be fitted with a single power-law index of 1.97, suggesting an optically thick emission. We employ the H"− free–free emission as an opacity source of this optically thick emission. The temperature, density, and mass of the circumstellar disk associated with Source I are constrained by the SED of H"− free–free emission. Still, the fitting result shows a significant deviation from the observed flux densities. Combined with the thermal dust graybody SED to explain excess emission at higher frequency, a smaller power-law index of 1.60 for the H"− free–free emission is obtained in the SED fitting. The power-law index smaller than two would suggest a compact source size or a clumpy structure unresolved with the present study. Future higher resolution observations with ALMA are essential to reveal more detailed spatial structure and physical properties of Source I

[en] Four close radio sources in the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) catalog were observed using phase referencing with the VLBA at 43, 23, and 8.6 GHz, and with VERA at 23 GHz over a one-year period. The goal was to determine the stability of the radio cores and to assess structure effects associated with positions in the ICRF. Although the four sources were compact at 8.6 GHz, the VLBA images at 43 GHz with 0.3 mas resolution showed that all were composed of several components. A component in each source was identified as the radio core using some or all of the following emission properties: compactness, spectral index, location at the end of the extended emission region, and stationary in the sky. Over the observing period, the relative positions between the four radio cores were constant to 0.02 mas, the phase-referencing positional accuracy obtained at 23 and 43 GHz among the sources, suggesting that once a radio core is identified, it remains stationary in the sky to this accuracy. Other radio components in two of the four sources had detectable motion in the radio jet direction. Comparison of the 23 and 43 GHz VLBA images with the VLBA 8.6 GHz images and the ICRF positions suggests that some ICRF positions are dominated by a moving jet component; hence, they can be displaced up to 0.5 mas from the radio core and may also reflect the motion of the jet component. Future astrometric efforts to determine a more accurate quasar reference frame at 23 and 43 GHz and from the VLBI2010 project are discussed, and supporting VLBA or European VLBI Network observations of ICRF sources at 43 GHz are recommended in order to determine the internal structure of the sources. A future collaboration between the radio (ICRF) and the optical frame of GAIA is discussed.

[en] We report on the detailed radio status of the M 87 jet during the very high energy (VHE) γ-ray flaring event in 2010 April, obtained from high-resolution, multi-frequency, phase-referencing Very Long Baseline Array observations. We especially focus on the properties of the jet base (the radio core) and the peculiar knot HST-1, which are currently favored as the γ-ray emitting sites. During the VHE flaring event, the HST-1 region remains stable in terms of its structure and flux density in the optically thin regime above 2 GHz, being consistent with no signs of enhanced activities reported at X-ray for this feature. The radio core shows an inverted spectrum at least up to 43 GHz during this event. Astrometry of the core position, which is specified as ∼20 R _s from the central engine in our previous study, shows that the core position is stable on a level of 4 R _s. The core at 43 and 22 GHz tends to show slightly (∼10%) higher flux level near the date of the VHE flux peak compared with the epochs before/after the event. The size of the 43 GHz core is estimated to be ∼17 R _s, which is close to the size of the emitting region suggested from the observed timescale of rapid variability at VHE. These results tend to favor the scenario that the VHE γ-ray flare in 2010 April is associated with the radio core.

[en] The Sombrero galaxy (M 104, NGC 4594) is associated with one of the nearest low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We investigated the detailed radio structure of the Sombrero nucleus using high-resolution, quasi-simultaneous, multi-frequency, phase-referencing Very Long Baseline Array observations. We obtained high-quality images of this nucleus at seven frequencies, where those at 15, 24, and 43 GHz are the first clear very long baseline interferometry detections. At 43 GHz, the nuclear structure was imaged on a linear scale under 0.01 pc or 100 Schwarzschild radii, revealing a compact, high-brightness-temperature (≳ 3 × 10⁹ K) radio core. We discovered the presence of the extended structure emanating from the core on two sides in the northwest and southeast directions. The nuclear radio spectra show a clear spatial gradient, which is similar to that seen in more luminous AGNs with powerful relativistic jets. Moreover, the size and position of the core tend to be frequency dependent. These findings provide evidence that the central engine of the Sombrero is powering radio jets and the jets are overwhelming the emission from the underlying radiatively inefficient accretion flow over the observed frequencies. Based on these radio characteristics, we constrained the following physical parameters for the M 104 jets: (1) the northern side is approaching, whereas the southern one is receding; (2) the jet viewing angle is relatively close to our line-of-sight (≲ 25°); and (3) the intrinsic jet velocity is highly sub-relativistic (≲ 0.2c). The derived pole-on nature of the M 104 jets is consistent with the previous argument that this nucleus contains a true type II AGN, i.e., the broad line region is actually absent or intrinsically weak if the plane of the circumnuclear torus is perpendicular to the jet axis.

[en] We report on the 1.6 GHz (18 cm) very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the unresolved, steady TeV source HESS J1943+213 located in the Galactic plane, performed with the European VLBI Network (EVN) in 2014. Our new observations with a nearly full EVN array provide the deepest image of HESS J1943+213 at the highest resolution ever achieved, enabling us to resolve the long-standing issues of the source identification. The milliarcsecond-scale structure of HESS J1943+213 has a clear asymmetric morphology consisting of a compact core and a diffuse jet-like tail. This is broadly consistent with the previous e-EVN observations of the source performed in 2011 and re-analyzed in this work. The core component is characterized by the brightness temperature of $\gtrsim <!--\; ???\; -->1.8\times <!--\; ??\; -->{10}^9$ K, which is typical for low-luminosity blazars in general. Overall, the radio properties of HESS J1943+213 are consistent with the source classification as an “extreme high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object.” Remarkably, we note that because HESS J1943+213 does not reveal any optical or infrared signatures of the active galactic nucleus activity, it would never be recognized and identified as a BL Lac object if not for its location close to the Galactic plane where the High Energy Stereoscopic System surveyed for and the follow-up dedicated X-ray and radio studies triggered by the source detection in the TeV range. Our results suggest, therefore, a presence of an unrecognized, possibly very numerous population of particularly extreme HBLs and simultaneously demonstrate that the low-frequency VLBI observations with high angular resolution are indispensable for a proper identification of such objects.