Parsec-scale jet properties of the gamma-ray quasar 3C 286

The quasar 3C~286 is one of two compact steep spectrum sources detected by the { Fermi}/LAT. Here, we investigate the radio properties of the parsec(pc)-scale jet and its (possible) association with the γ-ray emission in 3C~286. The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) images at various frequencies reveal a one-sided core--jet structure extending to the southwest at a projected distance of ~1 kpc. The component at the jet base showing an inverted spectrum is identified as the core, with a mean brightness temperature of 2.8× 10⁹~K. The jet bends at about 600 pc (in projection) away from the core, from a position angle of -135^∘ to -115^∘. Based on the available VLBI data, we inferred the proper motion speed of the inner jet as 0.013 ± 0.011 mas yr⁻¹ (βₐₚₚ = 0.6 ± 0.5), corresponding to a jet speed of about $0.5\,c$ at an inclination angle of 48^∘ between the jet and the line of sight of the observer. The brightness temperature, jet speed and Lorentz factor are much lower than those of γ-ray-emitting blazars, implying that the pc-scale jet in 3C~286 is mildly relativistic. Unlike blazars in which γ-ray emission is in general thought to originate from the beamed innermost jet, the location and mechanism of γ-ray emission in 3C~286 may be different as indicated by the current radio data. Multi-band spectrum fitting may offer a complementary diagnostic clue of the γ-ray production mechanism in this source.