VLBI monitoring of NGC 4258

Our immediate goals are to trace the geometry of the underlying disk, track rotation via measurement of proper motion, and ascertain the radii of masers for which centripetal acceleration may be measured separately. The monitoring includes 4 times as many epochs, 3 times denser sampling, and tighter control over sources of systematic error than earlier VLBI investigations.

Coverage of a 2400km/s bandwidth has also enabled mapping of molecular material 30% closer to the black hole than accomplished previously, which will strengthen geometric and dynamical disk models. Through repeated observation we have also measured for the first time a 5uas (1sigma) thickness of the maser medium.