Proper Motions in Compact Symmetric Objects

Abstract

We discuss recent measurements of proper motions of the hotspots of compact symmetric objects (CSOs). Source expansion has been detected in 10 CSOs so far and all these objects are very young (≤ 3 × 10³ yr). In a few sources ages have also been estimated from energy supply and spectral ageing arguments and these estimates are comparable. This argues that these sources are close to equipartition and that standard spectral ageing models apply. Proper motion studies are now constraining hotspot accelerations, side-to-side motions, and differences in hotspot advance speeds between the two hotspots of a source. Although most CSOs are young sources their evolution is unclear. There is increasing evidence that in some objects the CSO structure represents a new phase of activity within a recurrent source.