THE EVOLUTION OF THE SUB-PARSEC STRUCTURE OF 3C 84 AT 43 GHZ

We present 43 GHz VLBI observations of the peculiar Seyfert-like radiogalaxy 3C 84 (NGC 1275), with an angular resolution of approximately 0.1 mas, corresponding to an intrinsic linear scale of approximately 30 light-days (H0 = 100 km s-1 Mpc-1, q0 = 0.5). The inclusion of reanalyzed data-sets from earlier 43 GHz VLBI observations has enabled us to make new images with high spatial resolution of the core region of 3C 84 and to attribute the previously found subluminal expansion to subluminal motion (beta(app) = 0.1-0.2) of several components in a northern milliarcsecond-jet. A surrounding halo-like structure is apparently contracting with a rate of approximately 0.14 mas yr-1 (beta(app) approximately -0.12). We further find evidence for existing faint emission embedded in the extended southern lobe region, predominating at longer wavelengths. Our data suggest the occurrence of motion in this region with typical velocities of beta(app) almost-equal-to 0.5, in good agreement with earlier results obtained at 22 GHz. The combination with 22 GHz data yields evidence for motion along a curved path - inclined by 60-90-degrees against the northern mass-jet - for the southern component S2. The possible spatial curvature of the jet in 3C 84 and its implications for the jet-to-counterjet ratio are discussed.