DOI

https://doi.org/10.48717/sx83-wb55

Project

EP114

Title

e-EVN: ep114a, rsg13, em135c

Abstract

Unbiased all-sky surveys over the last decade have revolutionised our view of the transient sky. However, while thousands of supernovae (SNe) are being discovered each year, transients within the nuclei of galaxies have been largely overlooked until recently. Optical all-sky surveys and targeted near-IR surveys, coupled with improvements in imaging algorithms and techniques, are now enabling the discovery of this transient population whose exact nature and rate are still under debate. We propose e-EVN observations of up to six nuclear transients within the local universe (D < 250 Mpc) over the next year, aiming at the following immediate goals: (i) detecting their radio emission, and (ii) determining unambiguously their location. Both goals can be reached only by using very high angular resolution observations. We will follow-up the successfully detected sources with multi-frequency VLBA observations to obtain spectral index information and ascertain source flux density variability and radio morphological changes. VLBI observations, combined with the information obtained at other wavelengths, will be crucial to determine the nature of these nuclear transients.