Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5

We present the discovery of a large extended radio jet associated with the extremely radio-loud quasar J1601+3102 at z  ∼​​​​​ 5 from subarcsecond resolution imaging at 144 MHz with the International LOFAR Telescope. These large radio lobes have been argued to remain elusive at z  > 4 due to ener...

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Main Authors: Anniek J. Gloudemans, Frits Sweijen, Leah K. Morabito, Emanuele Paolo Farina, Kenneth J. Duncan, Yuichi Harikane, Huub J. A. Röttgering, Aayush Saxena, Jan-Torge Schindler
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Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9609
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author Anniek J. Gloudemans
Frits Sweijen
Leah K. Morabito
Emanuele Paolo Farina
Kenneth J. Duncan
Yuichi Harikane
Huub J. A. Röttgering
Aayush Saxena
Jan-Torge Schindler
author_facet Anniek J. Gloudemans
Frits Sweijen
Leah K. Morabito
Emanuele Paolo Farina
Kenneth J. Duncan
Yuichi Harikane
Huub J. A. Röttgering
Aayush Saxena
Jan-Torge Schindler
author_sort Anniek J. Gloudemans
collection DOAJ
description We present the discovery of a large extended radio jet associated with the extremely radio-loud quasar J1601+3102 at z  ∼​​​​​ 5 from subarcsecond resolution imaging at 144 MHz with the International LOFAR Telescope. These large radio lobes have been argued to remain elusive at z  > 4 due to energy losses in the synchrotron emitting plasma as a result of scattering of the strong cosmic microwave background at these high redshifts. Nonetheless, the 0 $\mathop{.}\limits^{{\rm{^{\prime} }}{\rm{^{\prime} }}}$ 3 resolution radio image of J1601+3102 reveals a northern and a southern radio lobe located at 9 and 57 kpc from the optical quasar, respectively. The measured jet size of 66 kpc makes J1601+3102 the largest extended radio jet at z  > 4 to date. However, it is expected to have an even larger physical size in reality due to projection effects brought about by the viewing angle. Furthermore, we observe the rest-frame UV spectrum of J1601+3102 with Gemini/GNIRS to examine its black hole properties, which results in a mass of 4.5 × 10 ^8 M _⊙ with an Eddington luminosity ratio of 0.45. The black hole mass is relatively low compared to the known high- z quasar population, which suggests that a high black hole mass is not strictly necessary to generate a powerful jet. This discovery of the first ∼​​​​​100 kpc radio jet at z  > 4 shows that these objects exist despite energy losses from inverse Compton scattering and can put invaluable constraints on the formation of the first radio-loud sources in the early Universe.
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spelling doaj-art-f8ea3e256c7a4b21ac4406c608cac5392025-02-06T11:30:50ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019801L810.3847/2041-8213/ad9609Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5Anniek J. Gloudemans0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8274-441XFrits Sweijen1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6470-7967Leah K. Morabito2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0487-6651Emanuele Paolo Farina3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6822-2254Kenneth J. Duncan4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6889-8388Yuichi Harikane5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6047-430XHuub J. A. Röttgering6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8887-2257Aayush Saxena7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5333-9970Jan-Torge Schindler8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4544-8242NSF NOIRLab , Gemini Observatory, 670 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USA ; anniek.gloudemans@noirlab.eduCentre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Department of Physics, Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE, UKCentre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Department of Physics, Durham University , Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Institute for Computational Cosmology , Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UKInternational Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab , 670 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USAInstitute for Astronomy , Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UKInstitute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo , 5-1-5 Kashiwa-no-Ha, Kashiwa City, Chiba, 277-8582, JapanLeiden Observatory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Physics, University of Oxford , Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UKHamburger Sternwarte, University of Hamburg , Gojenbergsweg 112, D-21029 Hamburg, GermanyWe present the discovery of a large extended radio jet associated with the extremely radio-loud quasar J1601+3102 at z  ∼​​​​​ 5 from subarcsecond resolution imaging at 144 MHz with the International LOFAR Telescope. These large radio lobes have been argued to remain elusive at z  > 4 due to energy losses in the synchrotron emitting plasma as a result of scattering of the strong cosmic microwave background at these high redshifts. Nonetheless, the 0 $\mathop{.}\limits^{{\rm{^{\prime} }}{\rm{^{\prime} }}}$ 3 resolution radio image of J1601+3102 reveals a northern and a southern radio lobe located at 9 and 57 kpc from the optical quasar, respectively. The measured jet size of 66 kpc makes J1601+3102 the largest extended radio jet at z  > 4 to date. However, it is expected to have an even larger physical size in reality due to projection effects brought about by the viewing angle. Furthermore, we observe the rest-frame UV spectrum of J1601+3102 with Gemini/GNIRS to examine its black hole properties, which results in a mass of 4.5 × 10 ^8 M _⊙ with an Eddington luminosity ratio of 0.45. The black hole mass is relatively low compared to the known high- z quasar population, which suggests that a high black hole mass is not strictly necessary to generate a powerful jet. This discovery of the first ∼​​​​​100 kpc radio jet at z  > 4 shows that these objects exist despite energy losses from inverse Compton scattering and can put invaluable constraints on the formation of the first radio-loud sources in the early Universe.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9609Radio loud quasarsHigh-redshift galaxiesRadio jets
spellingShingle Anniek J. Gloudemans
Frits Sweijen
Leah K. Morabito
Emanuele Paolo Farina
Kenneth J. Duncan
Yuichi Harikane
Huub J. A. Röttgering
Aayush Saxena
Jan-Torge Schindler
Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Radio loud quasars
High-redshift galaxies
Radio jets
title Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
title_full Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
title_fullStr Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
title_full_unstemmed Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
title_short Monster Radio Jet (>66 kpc) Observed in Quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
title_sort monster radio jet 66 kpc observed in quasar at z ∼​​​​​ 5
topic Radio loud quasars
High-redshift galaxies
Radio jets
url https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad9609
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