DOI

https://doi.org/10.48717/p9e3-rn08

Project

EC108

Title

e-EVN: EA081C, EC108

Abstract

Little Red Dots (LRDs) are a class of compact broad-line AGNs recently discovered by JWST in the distant universe. They likely host heavily gas-enshrouded supermassive and massive black holes and, due to the absence of detectable radio jets and dusty tori, may represent an unexplored early stage of AGN evolution. This scenario is supported by the recent discovery of two high-redshift LRD (analogues) showing faint jet activity and warm tori. To probe jet and outflow activity in such unusual systems, and assess their role in the evolution toward quasars, we propose EVN+e-MERLIN observations at 1.67 GHz of the nearby LRD analogue J2048. Our pilot VLBI observations with four Chinese telescopes have detected a mas-scale compact, sub-mJy component at 2.3/8.4 GHz. The proposed deep VLBI observations will give a more complete view on its radio structure, including ?80% extended emission missed previously due to the lack of short baselines, and allow us to distinguish the dominant radio mechanism. These observations will also provide crucial clues on the physical nature of LRD analogues and offer key insights into the evolutionary connection between jet-free LRDs and mature quasars.