A COMPLETE SAMPLE OF GHZ-PEAKED-SPECTRUM RADIO-SOURCES AND ITS RADIO PROPERTIES

We define a complete sample of thirty-three GHz-Peaked-Spectrum (GPS) radio sources based on their spectral properties. We present measureme nts of the radio spectra and polarization of the complete sample and a list of additional GPS sources which fail one or more criteria to be included in the complete sample.The majority of the data have been obt ained from quasi-simultaneous multi-frequency observations at the Very Large Array (VLA) during 3 observing sessions. Low frequency data fro m the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) and from the literat ure have been combined with the VLA data in order to better define the spectral shape. The objects presented here show a rather wide range o f spectral indices at high and low frequencies, including a few cases where the spectral index below the turnover is close to the theoretica l value of 2.5 typical of self-absorbed incoherent synchrotron emissio n. Faint and diffuse extended emission is found in about 10% of the so urces. In the majority of the GPS sources, the fractional polarization is found to be very low, consistent with the residual instrumental po larization of 0.3%(1).