VLBI Monitoring of the Sub-parsec-scale Jet in the Radio Galaxy 3C 66B at 22 GHz

Abstract

We present measurements of the proper motion of the sub-parsec scale jet at 22 GHz in the nearby FR I galaxy 3C 66B. Observations were made using the VLBA at six epochs over four years. A phase-referencing technique was used to improve the image quality of the weak and diffuse jet components. We find that the inner knots are almost stationary, though one of them was expected to be detected with an apparent speed of 0.2 mas yr −1 according to 8 GHz monitoring at the same observation epochs. Clear flux variations are not observed in the core at 22 GHz; in contrast, clear flux enhancement is observed in the core at 8 GHz. We discuss a possible explanation: If the jet has helical structure, the viewing angle of the jet at 8 and 22 GHz differ by a few degrees if the jet direction is almost along our line of sight. Although these results may imply the existence of a two-zone jet, which has been suggested in certain radio galaxies, it cannot explain the fact that the jet at the higher frequency is slower than that at the lower frequency.