Ivan Agudo's Research Lines

Physics of Relativistic Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei and Blazars

The main research field in which I am involved is the Physics of relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (in general), and blazars (in particular).

This research is mainly conducted through observational approaches, but theoretical-numerical studies are also performed when needed and possible.

Research Lines

The major research problems in which I am involved are:

Revealing the nature and location of the gamma-ray emission in blazars. This line is mainly developped through gamma-ray (Fermi-LAT), X-ray and UV (Swift), optical (Calar Alto 2.2m telescope among others), millimeter (SMA, IRAM 30m, and Metsähovi telescopes), ultrahigh angular resolution 7mm VLBI (VLBA) monitoring observations of the source.

A look on the properties of the innermost regions of blazars through single dish mm-polarimetry: A 3.5mm Polarimetric AGN Survey: This line is achieved through polarimetric observations with XPOL on the IRAM 30m Telescope

A search for the origin of extreme jet wobbling in blazar jets as a tool for jet launching and inner accretion system studies. This line is mainly developped by a polarimetric phase-reference VLBI monitoring of blazar jets with rapid wobbling behaviour (the BL Lacertae object OJ 287 and the quasars NRAO 150, 3C 273 and 3C 345) with the VLBA and the Global millimetre VLBI Array

Revealing the origin of intrinsic super-Compton Limit brightness temperatures in blazars. This line is develepped through multi-spectral band, and dense time sampled, polarimetric monitoring of the BL Lacertae object 0716+714 with the VLBA, the IRAM 30m Telescope, and the MPIfR Effelsberg 100m Telescope

Revealing unknown behaviors of relativistic jets in AGN. This line is conducted through the comparison of both VLBI observations and computer simulations of the relevant astronomycal sources

Observations

To carry out the observational part of my research, I routinely perform (or use the public data from) the following types of astronomical observations:

Centimetre and millimetre polarimetric VLBI observations with the VLBA and the Global millimetre VLBI Array
Millimetre polarimetric single dish observations with the IRAM 30m Telescope
Optical photo-polarimetric observations with the Calar Alto 2.2m Telescope (through the MAPCAT program)
X-ray and UV observations with the SWIFT space observatory
gamma-ray observations with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Observatory

Other astronomical observations, less frequently performed, are:

Centimetre single dish observations with the MPIfR Effelsberg 100m Telescope
Optical and near IR spectral or photometric and photopolarimetric observations with other telescopes at the Lowell Observatory, Observatorio de Sierra Nevada, the Observatorio de San Padro Mártir, the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos, and the Observatorio del Teide
Mid-IR observations with the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

Glorieta de la Astronomía, s/n. E-18008 (España)

Tel:(+34) 958 230 637 / Fax:(+34) 958 814 530

e-mail:iagudo<at>iaa.csic.es

Last updated on 2011-08-03