Proper Motion of the Sub-Parsec Scale Jet in the Radio Galaxy 3C 66B

Abstract

We present proper motion of the sub-parsec scale jet in a nearby elliptical galaxy 3C 66B. Observations were made using the VLBA and partly Effelsburg 100-m telescope at 2.3 GHz and 8.4 GHz at 10 epochs over 4 years. The 8.4 GHz images showed that a proper motion increases from 0.21 to 0.70 mas/year, corresponding to an apparent speed of 0.30 c to 0.96 c, with a distance from the core on a sub-parsec scale. Our investigation suggests that the apparent increase of the proper motion can be explained by changes in the viewing angle, according to a relativistic beaming model. However, we still cannot eliminate the possibility that acceleration of the jet outflow speed or of changes of emissivity profile in the two-zone jet might be found in 3C 66B.