Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572

Details Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572 Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572

Oct 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997apj...487..644k&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal v.487, p.644

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

17

Polarization, Galaxies: Photometry, Galaxies: Individual Alphanumeric: Tx 0830+191, Infrared: Galaxies, Radio Continuum: Galaxies, Ism: Dust, Extinction

Scientific paper

We present four-color (R, J, H, and K) infrared and optical imaging polarimetry of the extended object associated with the high-redshift (z = 2.572) ultra--steep-spectrum radio source TX J083053.43+191315.6. This object has two optical/infrared subcomponents, OI1 and OI2, separated by about 3" and aligned with the axis of the larger radio source. Aperture measurements of object OI2 and for the sum (OI1 + OI2) of the two objects' polarizations show that the polarization is a function of wavelength [%P( lambda )], having a statistically significant (>99.73% confidence factor) minimum at ~4500 Angstroms in the rest frame and a statistically significant rotation in the position angle of the electric vector, P.A.( lambda ), with wavelength, that in general is not tangential to the radio axis. The K-band light from the OI2 object is highly polarized (45% +/- 11%), and the polarized emission is spatially extended (~10 kpc). The infrared K-band light from this object, which is redward of the Balmer break in the rest frame, cannot be dominated by starlight. The multicolor polarimetry excludes electron scattering models for the alignment effect in this object. The observed minimum in %P( lambda ) is predicted in models of dust scattering of a central anisotropic source, and the polarization of TX 0830+191 is remarkably well characterized by a model with silicate-graphite grains in a Mathis-Rumpl-Nordsieck power-law distribution with a cutoff in the minimum grain size of approximately 0.08 mu m. The absence of smaller grains may be explained by their greater susceptibility to evaporation caused by the strong ultraviolet flux of the active galactic nucleus.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572 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 Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dust at High Redshift: Infrared and Optical Polarimetry of an Ultra--Steep-Spectrum Radio Source at Z = 2.572 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1769092