6533b855fe1ef96bd12b1451

RESEARCH PRODUCT

High-Frequency Polarization Variability from Active Galactic Nuclei

Ciriaco GoddiIvan Marti-vidal

subject

Camps magnèticsActive galactic nucleusAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaAstronomyquasarsblazarsQB1-991AstrophysicsAstrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics01 natural sciencessymbols.namesake0103 physical sciencesFaraday effectBlazar010303 astronomy & astrophysicsAstrophysics::Galaxy AstrophysicsPhysicspolarization010308 nuclear & particles physicsLinear polarizationAstronomy and AstrophysicsQuasarPlasmaPolarization (waves)Magnetic fieldgamma raysgeneralsymbolsAstronomia

description

The linear polarization of non-thermal emission encodes information about the structure of the magnetic fields, either from the region where the emission is produced (i.e., the intrinsic polarization angle) and/or from the screens of magnetized plasma that may be located on its way towards Earth (i.e., the effect of Faraday rotation). In addition, the variability timescale of the polarized emission, or its Faraday rotation, can be used to estimate the size of the region where the emission (or the Faraday rotation) originates. The observation of polarized emission from active galactic nuclei (AGN) and, in particular, its time evolution, also provides information about the critical role that magnetic fields may play in the process of jet launching and propagation. In this paper, we review some recent results about polarization variability from the cores of AGN jets, including observations at high spatial resolutions and/or at high radio frequencies.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2021-07-15
10.3390/galaxies9030051