DOI

https://doi.org/10.48717/c9ay-hh19

Project

EO021

Title

A new sample of low-power CSOs

Abstract

Compact symmetric objects (CSOs) are intrinsically compact extragalactic radio sources which are thought to be the progenitors of classical Fanaroff-Riley radio galaxies. Several evolutionary models have been developed so far, but they mainly target high-power radio jets. Low-power radio sources are more prone to instabilities than their high-power counterparts, and jet-medium interaction may decelerate or even disrupt the jet, preventing the formation of large scale structures. With this proposal, we request high-sensitivity EVN+eMERLIN observations of three low-power CSOs characterised by an asymmetric structure in VLBA images. Our aim is to detect the core component and then determine whether the asymmetric radio structure is due to geometrical effects, or jet-medium interactions, or missing flux density from low-surface brightness lobe features that may have been resolved out by the VLBA. A thorough characterisation of low-power CSOs is crucial for improving our knowledge of the evolutionary path of radio emission and the influence the environment may have on low-power jets at the beginning of their evolution.