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RoboPol: do optical polarization rotations occur in all blazars?

Authors :
Blinov, D.
Pavlidou, V.
Papadakis, I.
Kiehlmann, S.
Liodakis, I.
Panopoulou, G. V.
Pearson, T. J.
Angelakis, E.
Baloković, M.
Hovatta, T.
Joshi, V.
King, O. G.
Kus, A.
Kylafis, N.
Mahabal, A.
Marecki, A.
Myserlis, I.
Paleologou, E.
Papamastorakis, I.
Pazderski, E.
Source :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; 10/21/2016, Vol. 462 Issue 2, p1775-1785, 11p
Publication Year :
2016

Abstract

We present a new set of optical polarization plane rotations in blazars, observed during the third year of operation of RoboPol. The entire set of rotation events discovered during three years of observations is analysed with the aim of determining whether these events are inherent in all blazars. It is found that the frequency of the polarization plane rotations varies widely among blazars. This variation cannot be explained either by a difference in the relativistic boosting or by selection effects caused by a difference in the average fractional polarization. We conclude that the rotations are characteristic of a subset of blazars and that they occur as a consequence of their intrinsic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00358711
Volume :
462
Issue :
2
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
117972419
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw1732