The Crab nebula is widely used as a polarization angle calibrator for single-dish radio observations because of its brightness, high degree of linear polarization, and well-known polarization angle over a wide frequency range. However, the Crab nebula cannot be directly used as a polarization angle calibrator for single-dish observations with the Korean VLBI Network (KVN), because the beam size of the telescopes is smaller than the size of the nebula. To determine the polarization angle of the Crab nebula as seen by KVN, we use 3C 286, a compact polarized extragalactic radio source whose polarization angle is well-known, as a reference target. We observed both the Crab nebula and 3C 286 with the KVN from 2017 to 2021 and find that the polarization angles at the total intensity peak of the Crab nebula (equatorial coordinates (J2000) R.A. = 05h34m32.3804s and Dec = 22◦00′44.0982′′) are 154.2◦ ±0.3◦, 151.0◦ ±0.2◦, 150.0◦ ±1.0◦, and 151.3◦ ±1.1◦ at 22, 43, 86, and 94 GHz, respectively. We also find that the polarization angles at the pulsar position (RA = 05h34m31.971s and Dec = 22◦00′52.06′′) are 154.4◦ ±0.4◦, 150.7◦ ±0.4◦, and 149.0◦ ± 1.0◦ for the KVN at 22, 43, and 86 GHz. At 129 GHz, we suggest to use the values 149.0◦ ± 1.6◦ at the total intensity peak and 150.2◦ ± 2.0◦ at the pulsar position obtained with the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (IRAM) 30-meter Telescope. Based on our study, both positions within the Crab nebula can be used as polarization angle calibrators for the KVN single-dish observations.

We present a study of the inexplicit connection between radio jet activity and γ-ray emission of BL Lacertae (BL Lac; 2200+420). We analyze the long-term millimeter activity of BL Lac via interferometric observations with the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) obtained at 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz simultaneously over three years (from January 2013 to March 2016); during this time, two γ-ray outbursts (in November 2013 and March 2015) can be seen in γ-ray light curves obtained from Fermi observations. The KVN radio core is optically thick at least up to 86 GHz; there is indication that it might be optically thin at higher frequencies. To first order, the radio light curves decay exponentially over the time span covered by our observations, with decay timescales of 41185 days, 352±79 days, 310±57 days, and 283±55 days at 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz, respectively. Assuming synchrotron cooling, a cooling time of around one year is consistent with magnetic field strengths B ∼ 2 μT and electron Lorentz factors γ ∼ 10 000. Taking into account that our formal measurement errors include intrinsic variability and thus over-estimate the statistical uncertainties, we nd that the decay timescale  scales with frequency τ ν - 0.2. This relation is much shallower than the one expected from opacity effects (core shift), but in agreement with the (sub-)mm radio core being a standing recollimation shock. We do not find convincing radio flux counterparts to the γ-ray outbursts. The spectral evolution is consistent with the `generalized shock model' of Valtaoja et al. (1992). A temporary increase in the core opacity and the emergence of a knot around the time of the second -ray event indicate that this γ-ray outburst might be an `orphan' are powered by the `ring of fire' mechanism.

We report first results from KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) VLBI observations obtained in the frame of our Plasma-physics of Active Galactic Nuclei (PAGaN) project. We observed eight selected AGN at 22 and 43 GHz in single polarization (LCP) between March 2014 and April 2015. Each source was observed for 6 to 8 hours per observing run to maximize the uv coverage. We obtained a total of 15 deep high-resolution images permitting the identification of individual circular Gaussian jet components and three spectral index maps of BL Lac, 3C 111 and 3C 345 from simultaneous dual-frequency observations. The spectral index maps show trends in agreement with general expectations – flat core and steep jets – while the actual value of the spectral index for jets shows indications for a dependence on AGN type. We analyzed the kinematics of jet components of BL Lac and 3C 111, detecting superluminal proper motions with maximum apparent speeds of about 5c. This constrains the lower limits of the intrinsic component velocities to  0.98c and the upper limits of the angle between jet and line of sight to 20◦. In agreement with global jet expansion, jet components show systematically larger diameters d at larger core distances r, following the global relation d  0.2r, albeit within substantial scatter.

We present results of long-term multi-wavelength polarization observations of the powerful blazar 3C 279 after its -ray flare on 2013 December 20. We followed up this flare with single-dish polarization observations using two 21-m telescopes of the Korean VLBI Network. Observations carried out weekly from 2013 December 25 to 2015 January 11, at 22 GHz, 43 GHz, 86 GHz simultaneously, as part of the Monitoring Of GAmma-ray Bright AGN (MOGABA) program. We measured 3C 279 total flux densities of 22–34 Jy at 22 GHz, 15–28 Jy (43 GHz), and 10–21 Jy (86 GHz), showing mild variability of ≤ 50% over the period of our observations. The spectral index between 22 GHz and 86 GHz ranged from −0.13 to −0.36. Linear polarization angles were 27◦–38◦, 30◦–42◦, and 33◦–50◦ at 22 GHz, 43 GHz, and 86 GHz, respectively. The degree of linear polarization was in the range of 6–12%, and slightly decreased with time at all frequencies. We investigated Faraday rotation and depolarization of the polarized emission at 22–86 GHz, and found Faraday rotation measures (RM) of −300 to −1200 rad m−2 between 22 GHz and 43 GHz, and −800 to −5100 rad m−2 between 43 GHz and 86 GHz. The RM values follow a power law with a mean power law index a of 2.2, implying that the polarized emission at these frequencies travels through a Faraday screen in or near the jet. We conclude that the regions emitting polarized radio emission may be different from the region responsible for the 2013 December -ray flare and are maintained by the dominant magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the radio jet at milliarcsecond scales.