The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies

Details The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies

Jun 1992

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992mnras.256p..53t&link_type=abstract

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (ISSN 0035-8711), vol. 256, no. 4, June 15, 1992, p. 53P-58P. Research support

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

112

Active Galaxies, Optical Polarization, Radio Galaxies, Red Shift, Interstellar Matter, Light Beams, Light Scattering, Ultraviolet Radiation, Polarization, Galaxies: Active, Radio Continuum: Galaxies.

Scientific paper

Optical polarization measurements are presented for 12 high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies (0.2 < z < 0.55). The data confirm that large optical polarization is relatively common at high redshifts: five out of seven of the z > 0.5 objects with good polarization measurements have their integrated light polarized at the 5-20 per cent level. This result, and the fact that the polarization is frequently oriented perpendicular to the radio axis, suggests that a large fraction of the UV continuum has been scattered out of radiation beams from the AGN by dust or electrons in the high-redshift host galaxies. In contrast, we find that none of the intermediate-redshift (0.2 < z < 0.5) objects shows polarization at the >5 per cent level. It is likely that the implied red shift dependence is largely a consequence of the varying dilution of the polarization by the light from the stars in the haloes of the galaxies - the dilution is least for the high-redshift objects because they are observed in the rest-frame UV - but it is also possible that the scattering ISM is more effective and/or the radiation beams are stronger at high redshifts.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies 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 The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The optical polarizations of high- and intermediate-redshift radio galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1522045