Are there two engines at the center of 3C 286?

• This paper presents images of the compact steep-spectrum quasar 3C 286 obtained with global VLBI arrays at 4.99 and 1.66 GHz. The morphology appears to be intermediate between the core-jet types and grossly distorted objects. The central portion is resolved into two components of almost equal peak brightnesses and spectral indices. On the 1.66 GHz map, the jet extends in position angle approximately -136-degrees, up to a knot (W1) (approximately 75 mas from the component C2) from which it curves rapidly towards the west to form another knot (W2). It is possible that the VLBI jet bends further towards the secondary component separated from the core by approximately 2.6'' in p.a. -115-degrees seen in high dynamic range VLA or Merlin maps. The jet has a sinuous feature shown clearly on the 5 GHz map. There is a low brightness extension at the North (designated N1) shown on both the 1.66 and 5 GHz maps, which is connected to the component C1 and bends towards the east.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

quasars: individual: 3C 286

galaxies: jets

galaxies: nuclei

radio continuum: galaxies

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)