Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Structure and evolution of the compact radio source in NGC 1275
J D Romney1, J M Benson, V Dhawan
1National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
Summary
Researchers studied the radio source 3C 84 in NGC 1275, revealing subluminal motions in its jet and a newly detected counterjet. This counterjet
Area of Science:
- * Astrophysics
- * Radio Astronomy
Background:
- * Investigating the fine-scale structure of the compact nucleus in the radio source 3C 84 (NGC 1275).
- * Long-term structural monitoring observations initiated in 1976.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To analyze subluminal motions within a jet-like region of 3C 84.
- * To investigate the nature and spectral properties of a newly discovered counterjet feature.
Main Methods:
- * Employing structural monitoring with very-long-baseline radio interferometry (VLBI).
- * Conducting multi-frequency observations (5 to 43 GHz) of the counterjet.
Main Results:
- * Detected subluminal motions in a diffuse jet region extending from a flat-spectrum core.
- * Discovered a counterjet feature in 1993, confirmed across five frequencies.
- * Observed a strong low-frequency cutoff in the counterjet, indicating an inverted spectrum.
Conclusions:
- * The counterjet's inverted spectrum is consistent with free-free absorption obscuring it from a surrounding volume.
- * This model suggests VLBI can probe parsec-scale accretion regions outside the radio jet.
Related Concept Videos
Emission Spectra
When solids, liquids, or condensed gases are heated sufficiently, they radiate some of the excess energy as light. Photons produced in this manner have a range of energies, and thereby produce a continuous spectrum in which an unbroken series of wavelengths is present.
Additional Subnuclear Structures
The eukaryotic nucleus is a double membrane-bound organelle that contains nearly all of the cell’s genetic material in the form of chromosomes. It is rightly called the “brain” of the cell as it shoulders the responsibility of responding to various physiological processes, stress, altered metabolic conditions, and other cellular signals.
The nucleus contains many membrane-less subnuclear organelles or nuclear bodies, such as nucleoli, Cajal bodies, speckles, paraspeckles, etc. These nuclear...
The nucleus contains many membrane-less subnuclear organelles or nuclear bodies, such as nucleoli, Cajal bodies, speckles, paraspeckles, etc. These nuclear...
Additional Subnuclear Structures
The eukaryotic nucleus is a double membrane-bound organelle that contains nearly all of the cell’s genetic material in the form of chromosomes. It is rightly called the “brain” of the cell as it shoulders the responsibility of responding to various physiological processes, stress, altered metabolic conditions, and other cellular signals.
The nucleus contains many membrane-less subnuclear organelles or nuclear bodies, such as nucleoli, Cajal bodies, speckles, paraspeckles, etc. These nuclear...
The nucleus contains many membrane-less subnuclear organelles or nuclear bodies, such as nucleoli, Cajal bodies, speckles, paraspeckles, etc. These nuclear...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution
Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab
AES is a powerful analytical technique, especially effective when used with plasma sources, producing abundant spectra in characteristic emission lines. The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), in particular, yields superior quantitative analytical data due to its high stability, low noise, low background, and minimal interferences under optimal experimental conditions. However, newer air-operated microwave sources are emerging as promising alternatives that could be more cost-effective than...

