Quasar Microlensing: Polarization and Iron Lines as a Probe of Accretion Disk Physics

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Scientific paper

Accretion disk models for quasars require strong magnetic fields for transport of angular momentum, allowing gas to accrete and creating magnetic activity which may result in X-ray emission. One consequence of near-equipartition fields is that thermal emission from the accretion disk should be unpolarized due to strong Faraday depolarization in the accretion disk atmosphere. We discuss a means to measure the intrinsic disk polarization using microlensing of a quasar to remove contamination of polarized light created exterior to the disk. X-ray emission near a disk can produce fluorescence from the disk, which if microlensed by a caustic, creates a distinctive signature. We describe predictions for the microlensing of a relativistic disk emission line by a caustic, and discuss recent Chandra observations of the lens MG 0414+0534 which show evidence for microlensing of a narrow iron line, which might be the outer edges of a relativistically broadened line.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Quasar Microlensing: Polarization and Iron Lines as a Probe of Accretion Disk Physics does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Quasar Microlensing: Polarization and Iron Lines as a Probe of Accretion Disk Physics, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Quasar Microlensing: Polarization and Iron Lines as a Probe of Accretion Disk Physics will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1104568

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.