Constraints on Particles and Fields from Full Stokes Observations of AGN

Daniel C. Homan*, Talvikki Hovatta, Yuri Y. Kovalev, Matthew L. Lister, Alexander B. Pushkarev, Tuomas Savolainen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
175 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Combined polarization imaging of radio jets from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in circular and linear polarization, also known as full Stokes imaging, has the potential to constrain both the magnetic field structure and particle properties of jets. Although only a small fraction of the emission when detected, typically less than a few tenths of a percent but up to as much as a couple of percent in the strongest resolved sources, circular polarization directly probes the magnetic field and particles within the jet itself and is not expected to be modified by external screens. A key to using full Stokes observations to constrain jet properties is obtaining a better understanding of the emission of circular polarization, including its variability and spectrum. We discuss what we have learned so far from parsec scale monitoring observations in the MOJAVE program and from multi-frequency observations of selected AGN.

Original languageEnglish
Article number17
Number of pages8
JournalGalaxies
Volume6
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Jan 2018
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • AGN
  • BL Lacertae Objects
  • Galaxies
  • Non-thermal emission
  • Quasars

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