Invited Presentation

Observing the origin of relativistic outflows with 3-mm VLBI and beyond

Author(s): Anton Zensus (MPIfR)

Presenter: Anton Zensus (Max-Planck-Institute für Radioastronomie)

Millimeter-VLBI is being used regularly in the framework of the Global mm-VLBI Array (GMVA) at 43 GHz and 86 GHz, and pioneering observations at higher frequencies in the range of 230-450 GHz are underway. Recently, the era of mm-VLBI with ALMA has been opened, yielding unprecedented resolution and sensitivity in mm-VLBI (with baselines between Europe, North America and Chile). Observations at this frequency with the GMVA and beyond are technically challenging, but are mandatory, for instance, to observe structural changes in very early stages after AGN outbursts. For instance, one of the major targets for this purpose, together with the Galactic Centre, Centaurus A, and NGC 1052, is the radio galaxy M 87. Recent GMVA observations have revealed the innermost structure and the answer to major questions like the origin of the relativistic jet, the imaging of an accretion flow close to a supermassive black hole, and constraining a counter-jet emission and the conditions of the magnetic fields and the opening of the relativistic outflow are closer than ever. I will summarize recent highlights of mm-VLBI research and the MPIfR contribution on the path towards direct imaging at closest to the SMBH.