We present the results from the first quasi-simultaneous multi-frequency (2.3, 5.0, 8.4 and 15 GHz) Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of a compact steep spectrum (CSS) superluminal source 3C138. For the first time, the spectral distribution of the components within its central 10 milli-arcsecond (mas) region was obtained. This enables us to identify the component at the western end as the location of the nuclear activity on the assumption that the central engine is associated with one of the detected components. The possibility that none of these visible components is the true core is also discussed. The new measurements further clarify the superluminal motions of its inner jet components. The multifrequency data reveal a convex spectrum in one jet component, inferring the existence of free-free absorption by the ambient dense plasma.

We present the results of six-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of 3C 66A. The high-resolution Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) maps obtained at multi-frequency (2.3, 8.4, and 22.2 GHz) simultaneously enabled us to identify the brightest compact component with the core. We find that the spectrum of the core can be reasonably fitted by the synchrotron self-absorption model. Our VLBA maps show that the jet of 3C 66A has two bendings at about 1.2 and 4 mas from the core. We also give possible identifications of our jet components with the components in previous VLBA observations by analysing their proper motions. We find consistent differences of the position from the core in one component between different frequencies at six epochs.

We present results of Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of PKS 0528+134 at five frequencies (2.3, 5.0, 8.4, 15.4, and 22.2 GHz). These quasi-simultaneous data enable us to study the spectral distribution of Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) components for the first time in this highly variable source, from which the central compact core is identified. Our observations indicate that there are two bendings for the jet motion at parsec scale. We provide an approximate spatial fit to the curved jet trajectory using the Steffen et al. (1995) helical model. We further investigate the proper motions of three jet components, which all show superluminal motion. At high frequencies (15.4 and 22.2 GHz) we detected a new component, which is estimated to be related to a radio burst peaking at about 2000.

We present the results from the first simultaneous nnilti-frequency (2.3. 5.0. 8.4 and 15 GHz) Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of a compact steep spectrum source 3C138. For the f i t time. the spectral distribution of the components within its central core region was obtained. This enables us to clearly identify the component at the westem end as the location of the nuclear activity, The new measurements further clarify the superluminal motions of its inner jet components.

We investigate a phase-reference VLBI observation that was conducted at 15.4 GHz by fast switching VLBA antennas between the compact steep-spectrum radio source 3C 138 and the quasar PKS 0528+134 which are about 4 • away on the sky. By comparing the phase-reference mapping with the conventional hybrid mapping, we demonstrate the feasibility of high precision astrometric measurements for sources separated by 4 • . VLBI phase-reference mapping preserves the relative phase information, and thus provides an accurate relative position between 3C 138 and PKS 0528+134 of ∆α = −9 m 46 s .531000 ± 0 s .000003 and ∆δ = 3 • 6 ′ 26 ′′ .90311 ± 0 ′′ .00007 (J2000.0) in right ascension and declination, respectively. This gives an improved position of the nucleus (component A) of 3C 138 in J2000.0 to be RA=05 h 21 m 9 s .885748 and Dec=16 • 38 ′ 22 ′′ .05261 under the assumption that the position of calibrator PKS 0528+134 is correct. We further made a hybrid map by performing several iterations of CLEAN and self-calibration on the phase-referenced data with the phase-reference map as an input model for the first phase self-calibration. Compared with the hybrid map from the limited visibility data directly obtained from fringe fitting 3C 138 data, this map has a similar dynamic range, but a higher angular resolution. Therefore, phase-reference technique is not only a means of phase connection, but also a means of increasing phase coherence time allowing self-calibration technique to be applied to much weaker sources.