The parsec-scale jet of the radio-loud quasar PKS 1741-03

 

Anderson Caproni (NAT/Unicsul)

 

The quasar PKS 1741-03 has been largely studied at radio wavelengths mainly because of its rapid variability. Concerning its parsec-scale morphology, the available interferometric radio images do not show a pronounced jet, as usually expected for radio-loud objects, but a halo-like structure instead. In this seminar, we will present the results obtained from the modeling of fifteen 15-GHz interferometric MOJAVE images of PKS 1741-03 (comprising about thirteen years of monitoring) via cross-entropy global optimization technique. We have found that source images can be represented by a spatially unresolved component (core) and usually two or three jet knots receding ballistically from it with apparent superluminal speeds. The ejection epochs of the seven jet knots identified in this work coincide with occurrence of flares in the historical 14.5-GHz UMRAO light curve of PKS 1741-03, as well as in its parsec-scale core. Based on kinematics of the most robust jet knots, as well as on the observed brightness temperature of the core, we claim that the parsec-scale jet of PKS 1741-03 is relativistic (jet bulk Lorentz factor between 5.7 and 14.5) and oriented very close to the line-of-sight (not exceeding 4.5 degrees).