VLBA OBSERVATIONS OF H i IN THE ARCHETYPE COMPACT SYMMETRIC OBJECT B2352+495

B2352+495 is a prototypical example of a compact symmetric object. It has a double radio lobe symmetrically located with respect to a central flat-spectrum radio core (the location of the active galactic nucleus) and has a physical extent of less than 200 pc. In this work, we report Very Long Baseline Array observation of 21 cm H i absorption toward B2352+495 to investigate the properties of this remarkable radio source, in particular, to explore whether the radio emission can be confined by circumnuclear material (frustration scenario) or whether the source is likely to be young. We confirmed the two H i absorption features previously detected toward B2352+495—a broad line nearly centered at the systemic velocity of the galaxy and a narrow redshifted component. The atomic gas from the broad absorption component is likely associated with circumnuclear material, consistent with the current paradigm of clumpy H i distribution in toroidal structures around supermassive black holes.