Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs: S5 0716+714

  • Lee, Sang-Sung (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Lee, Jee Won (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Hodgson, Heffrey A. (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Kim, Dae-Won (Seoul National University) ;
  • Algaba, Juan-Carlos (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Kang, Sincheol (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Kang, Jiman (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
  • Kim, Sungsoo S. (Kyung Hee University)
  • Published : 2017.04.10

Abstract

We present the results of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of gamma-ray bright blazar S5 0716+714 using the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) at the 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz bands, which are part of the KVN key science program known as the Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs (iMOGABA). Multi-frequency VLBI observations were conducted in 29 sessions from January 16, 2013 to March 1, 2016. The source was detected and imaged in all available frequency bands. For all observed epochs, the source is compact on the milliarcsecond (mas) scale, yielding a compact VLBI core dominating the synchrotron emission on the mas scale. Based on the multi-wavelength data at 15 and 230 GHz, we found that the source shows multiple prominent enhancements of the flux density at the centimeter (cm) and millimeter (mm) wavelengths, with mm enhancements leading cm enhancements with a time lag of $18{\pm}5$ days. Turnover frequency is found to vary over our observations between 22 to 69GHz. Taking into account the synchrotron self-absorption model of the relativistic jet in S5 0716+714, we estimated the magnetic field strength in the mas emission region to be 0.4-66 mG during the observing period, finding that the magnetic field strength is strongly correlated with the turnover frequency and the relatively strong magnetic field (e.g., B > 40 mG) is correlated with flux enhancements at mm wavelengths (e.g., 86 GHz).

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