Radio and optical morphology of low-redshift quasars

Snapshot VLA radio maps are presented of a representative sample of low-redshift quasars, and radio properties are summarized for 40 objects. Resolutions are typically 1.4 arcsec at 20 cm and 0.4 arcsec at 6 cm wavelength. Half the sources have a bright core and two lobes, while 20 percent have a single lobe. With data of dynamic range of about 100, 55 percent have connecting luminous bridges between components, and more than half of these are curved. One-fourth of the sources are significantly nonlinear, and over 40 percent have cores with resolved structures. One-fifth of the sources are unresolved. Optical imaging data, principally from Hutchings, Crampton, and Campbell (1983), exist for 24 of the quasars. Possible correlations between optical and radio morphology are discussed. Connections may exist between the core spectral index, the core radio luminosity, and optical nuclear luminosity. Also discussed are orientations of radio and optical axes, and connections between radio size and structure and optical interactions.