We compare 0.1" resolution 15 GHz images of the M87 jet obtained with the VLA in 1982 and 1985. The measured velocity for knot A is 0.28 +/- 0.20 c in the outward direction; knots B, C, and D are consistent with subluminal motion and have larger uncertainties. There is no evidence for flux variations greater than a few percent in the core or brighter knots. It is suggested that the jet is intrinsically one-sided and has a bulk flow velocity ~0.5 c or less. The possibility of relativistic flow with near-stationary shocks cannot, however, be completely ruled out.
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Biretta et al. (1989) studied this question.