RADIO-SOURCE ASYMMETRIES AND UNIFIED SCHEMES

The angular asymmetries and relative separations of the hotspots of Fa naroff-Riley II (FRII) radio sources in a complete sample of 3CR sourc es have been used to study the effects of misalignment of the directio ns of ejection and the velocities of the hotspots. It is found that th e observed distribution of asymmetry angles is consistent with unified schemes for radio galaxies and radio quasars and with the source comp onents being ejected uniformly within an angle phi(max) of 6 degrees-7 degrees about the source axis. The separation quotients of the hotspo ts are also consistent with unified schemes, if the velocities of the hotspots have a broad distribution about a mean of 0.2 c, with values extending at least up to 0.4 c.