Milliarcsecond-scale radio structure of the most distant BL Lac object candidate at redshift 6.57

Abstract

Context. The existence of accreting supermassive black holes of up to billions of solar masses at early cosmological epochs (in the context of this work, redshifts z ≳ 6) requires very fast growth rates that are challenging to explain. The presence of a relativistic jet can be a direct indication of activity and accretion status in active galactic nuclei (AGN), constraining the radiative properties of these extreme objects. However, known jetted AGN beyond z ∼ 6 are still very rare. Aims. The radio-emitting AGN J2331+1129 has recently been claimed as a candidate BL Lac object at redshift z = 6.57 based on its synchrotron-dominated emission spectrum and a lack of ultraviolet or optical emission lines. It is a promising candidate for the highest-redshift blazar known to date. The aim of the observations described here is to support or refute the blazar classification of this peculiar source. Methods. We performed high-resolution radio interferometric imaging observations of J2331+1129 using the Very Long Baseline Array at 1.6 and 4.9 GHz in February 2022. Results. The images reveal a compact but slightly resolved, flat-spectrum core feature at both frequencies, indicating that the total radio emission is produced by a compact jet and originates from within a central region of ∼10 pc in diameter. While these details are consistent with the radio properties of a BL Lac object, the inferred brightness temperatures are at least an order of magnitude lower than expected for a Doppler-boosted radio jet, which casts doubt on the high-redshift BL Lac identification.