VLBI Observations of Gamma-Ray-quiet Active Galactic Nuclei: Comparing Radio-Core Brightness Temperatures

We present VLBI and Australia Telescope Compact Array images and derive source-frame radio-core brightness temperatures for three prominent, flat-spectrum extragalactic radio sources, notable because they have not been detected as gamma-ray sources with the EGRET instrument. Radio-core brightness temperatures are discussed as an indicator of relativistic beaming.

A comparison of source-frame radio-core brightness temperatures for EGRET-identified and gamma-ray-quiet, radio-loud AGNs shows that a wide range in beaming properties is likely to exist, independent of the level of gamma-ray emission. This comparison suggests that, although there is a strong relationship between radio emission and gamma-ray emission in EGRET-identified AGNs, and many EGRET-identified AGNs show evidence for relativistic beaming, there is little evidence for a one-to-one correspondence between the strength of gamma-ray emission and the degree of beaming of the radio emission.