Radio Frequency Observations of the Nuclei of Galaxies

Abstract

For spiral galaxies the nuclear radio emission is usually dominated by a complex distribution of emission with median diameter of 200 pc and median power of 1019 W Hz−1 sr−1 at 1400 MHz. There is a large range in both power and diameter. The power is independent of morphological type for the normal spirals but is correlated with the absolute optical magnitude and with the infrared emission. For Seyfert galaxies the emission is generally stronger, in some cases by several orders of magnitude (e.g. NGC 1275, 3C 120).Elliptical galaxies have been found with very compact radio sources, some less than a parsec in diameter. These are as powerful as the strongest spirals (~ 1021 W Hz−1 sr−1). Even stronger compact nuclear sources are now being found in the nuclei of those elliptical galaxies which also have extended radio sources (the radio galaxies). The presence of nuclear sources of this strength is so highly correlated with the presence of extended sources that this suggests a continuing involvement of the nucleus.