MILLIARCSECOND POLARIZATION STRUCTURE OF 24 OBJECTS FROM THE PEARSON-READHEAD SAMPLE OF BRIGHT EXTRAGALACTIC RADIO-SOURCES .1. THE IMAGES

This paper presents the first survey of the milliarcsecond-scale linea r polarization properties of compact extragalactic radio sources. Glob al VLBI observations in total intensity and linear polarization at a f requency of 5 GHz (lambda6 cm) of 24 sources from the Pearson-Readhead complete sample are presented. We have observed 12 quasars, eight BL Lacertae objects, and four galaxies, constituting about half of the Pe arson-Readhead list. We show total intensity and polarization images o f all 16 sources in which we detected significant polarized flux on mi lliarcsecond scales, and total intensity images of two additional sour ces. The properties of the individual sources are discussed at some le ngth. A detailed analysis of the sample is given in an accompanying pa per.