The Role of VLBI in Astrophysics, Astrometry and Geodesy

A masterly survey of the last 13 years of Very Long Baseline Interferometry, reviewed in light of the most advanced astronomical observations. Topics covered include: Nonthermal emission from extragalactic radio sources; Principles of synchrotron emission in relation to astrophysics; Theory of relativistic jets; Young, powerful radio sources and their evolution; Scintillation in extragalactic radio sources; Radio and optical interferometry; Radio polarimetry; Unified schemes; Deep fields; Tropospheric and ionospheric phase calibration; Supernovae; VLBI for geodesy and geodynamics.

"A masterly survey of the last 13 years of Very Long Baseline Interferometry, reviewed in light of the most advanced astronomical observations. Topics covered include: Nonthermal emission from extragalactic radio sources; Principles of synchrotron emission in relation to astrophysics; Theory of relativistic jets; Young, powerful radio sources and their evolution; Scintillation in extragalactic radio sources; Radio and optical interferometry; Radio polarimetry; Unified schemes; Deep fields; Tropospheric and ionospheric phase calibration; Supernovae; VLBI for geodesy and geodynamics."

Radio Astronomy.- Principles of Synchrotron Emission in an Astrophysical Context.- Non-Thermal Emission from Extragalactic Radio Sources: A High Resolution - Broad Band Approach.- The Observational Properties of Blazars; Selection, Relationships and Unification.- Observing Blazars with VLBI.- Theory of Relativistic Jets: Basic Concepts.- Parsec-Scale Morphologies and Properties of Radio Sources.- Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe.- Young Powerful Radio Sources and their Evolution.- AGN Unification; Past Present and Future.- Radio Polarimetry.- Gravitational Lensing with a Radio Bias.- VLBI Observations of Gravitational Lenses.- Scintillation in Extragalactic Radio Sources.- Supernovae.- Astrophysical Masers.- Radio and Optical Interferometry.- Optical Interferometry: Astronomical Application.- Data Analysis.- Deep Fields: The Faint Sub-mJy and MicroJy Radio Sky.- Space VLBI.- VLBI for Geodesy and Geodynamics.- Tropospheric and Ionospheric Phase Calibration.- Ground Based VLBI Facilities - the European and Global VLBI Network.