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.

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.