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Title: Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars

Abstract

The polarization signatures of blazar emissions are known to be highly variable. In addition to small fluctuations of the polarization angle around a mean value, large (≳ 180°) polarization angle swings are observed. We suggest that such phenomena can be interpreted as arising from light-travel-time effects within an underlying axisymmetric emission region. We present the first simultaneous fitting of the multi-wavelength spectrum, variability, and time-dependent polarization features of a correlated optical and gamma-ray flaring event of the prominent blazar 3C279, which was accompanied by a drastic change in its polarization signatures. This unprecedented combination of spectral, variability, and polarization information in a coherent physical model allows us to place stringent constraints on the particle acceleration and magnetic-field topology in the relativistic jet of a blazar, strongly favoring a scenario in which magnetic energy dissipation is the primary driver of the flare event.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Ohio Univ., Athens, OH (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Univ. of Potsdam, Potsdam-Golm (Germany); DESY, Zeuthen (Germany)
  3. North-West Univ., Potchefstroom (South Africa); Ohio Univ., Athens, OH (United States)
  4. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1200615
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-24291
Journal ID: ISSN 1538-4357
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal (Online)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal (Online); Journal Volume: 804; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1538-4357
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astronomy and Astrophysics

Citation Formats

Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, and Li, Hui. Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58.
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Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, & Li, Hui. Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58
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Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, and Li, Hui. Fri . "Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1200615.
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@article{osti_1200615,
title = {Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars},
author = {Zhang, Haocheng and Chen, Xuhui and Böttcher, Markus and Guo, Fan and Li, Hui},
abstractNote = {The polarization signatures of blazar emissions are known to be highly variable. In addition to small fluctuations of the polarization angle around a mean value, large (≳ 180°) polarization angle swings are observed. We suggest that such phenomena can be interpreted as arising from light-travel-time effects within an underlying axisymmetric emission region. We present the first simultaneous fitting of the multi-wavelength spectrum, variability, and time-dependent polarization features of a correlated optical and gamma-ray flaring event of the prominent blazar 3C279, which was accompanied by a drastic change in its polarization signatures. This unprecedented combination of spectral, variability, and polarization information in a coherent physical model allows us to place stringent constraints on the particle acceleration and magnetic-field topology in the relativistic jet of a blazar, strongly favoring a scenario in which magnetic energy dissipation is the primary driver of the flare event.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal (Online)},
number = 1,
volume = 804,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58
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Cited by: 59 works
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Figures / Tables:

Fig. 1 Fig. 1: Left: Sketch of the geometry used in the MCFP code, adapted from Chen et al. (2012). Right: Sketch of the geometry (in the co-moving frame) of 3DPol. The model uses cylindrical coordinates, ($r$, $\phi$,$z$), with $n$$r$, $n$$\phi$, $n$$z$ being the number of zones in the respective directions. Wemore » define a corresponding Cartesian coordinate system ($x, y, z$) where $z$ is along the axis of the cylinder and the $x$-axis is along the projection of the LOS onto the plane perpendicular to $z$. The Cartesian coordinates ($x$0, $y$0, $z$0) are defined so that $x$0 is along the LOS and $z$0 is the projection of the cylindrical axis onto the plane of the sky. Both Cartesian coordinate systems are in the co-moving frame of the emission region. $θ$obs is the observing angle between $x$0 and $z$. Consequently, if $θ$obs = 90°, ($x, y, z$) = ($x$0, $y$0, $z$0). The cyan, dark-green and maroon regions represent far-side (left), middle and near-side (right) zones, respectively.« less
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Works referenced in this record:

FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE AND MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE FLARING ACTIVITY OF PKS 1510-089 BETWEEN 2008 SEPTEMBER AND 2009 JUNE
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Polarization and QPOs from jets in black hole systems
    journal, November 2018

    Polarization angle swings in blazars: The case of 3C 279
    journal, April 2016

    Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510−089 in 2015
    journal, July 2017

    A swirling jet in the quasar 1308+326
    journal, May 2017

    Optical polarisation variability of radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies: Search for long rotations of the polarisation plane
    journal, October 2018

    Extreme HBL behavior of Markarian 501 during 2012
    journal, December 2018

    Particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection in a low-beta pair plasma
    journal, May 2016

    • Guo, Fan; Li, Hui; Daughton, William
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.4948284

    Particle diffusion and localized acceleration in inhomogeneous AGN jets – II. Stochastic variation
    journal, March 2016

    • Chen, Xuhui; Pohl, Martin; Böttcher, Markus
    • Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 458, Issue 3
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    Microscopic Processes in Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
    journal, September 2016

    Blazar Optical Polarimetry: Current Progress in Observations and Theories
    journal, October 2019

    Leptonic and Hadronic Modeling of Fermi -LAT Hard Spectrum Quasars and Predictions for High-energy Polarization
    journal, August 2018

    • Paliya, Vaidehi S.; Zhang, Haocheng; Böttcher, Markus
    • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 863, Issue 1
    • DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aad1f0

    The Polarization Behavior of Relativistic Synchrotron Jets
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    Optical Polarimetric and Multiwavelength Flaring Activity of Blazar 3C 279
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    • Fraija, N.; Benítez, E.; Hiriart, D.
    • The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 245, Issue 1
    • DOI: 10.3847/1538-4365/ab3f28

    Large-amplitude Blazar Polarization Angle Swing as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection
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    Determining the Dominant Acceleration Mechanism during Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in Large-scale Systems
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    Particle diffusion and localized acceleration in inhomogeneous AGN jets – II. Stochastic variation
    text, January 2016

    • Chen, Xuhui; Pohl, Martin; Böttcher, Markus
    • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
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    Microscopic Processes In Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
    posted_content, July 2016

    Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015
    text, January 2016

    • Collaboration, Magic; Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.
    • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
    • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2016-06249

    Microscopic Processes in Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
    text, January 2016

    • Nishikawa, Ken-Ichi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Niemiec, Jacek
    • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
    • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2017-00110

    The extreme HBL behaviour of Markarian 501 during 2012
    text, January 2018

    • Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
    • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
    • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2019-00102

    Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510−089 in 2015
    text, January 2017

    • Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
    • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
    • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2018-00435

    Polarization angle swings in blazars: The case of 3C 279
    text, January 2016

    Particle Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-beta Pair Plasma
    text, January 2016

    Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015
    text, January 2016

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      Figures / Tables found in this record:

      Fig. 1 (p. 7)figure
      Table 1 (p. 9)table
      Fig. 2 (p. 11)figure
      Fig. 3 (p. 12)figure
      Fig. 4 (p. 21)figure
      Fig. 5 (p. 22)figure
      Fig. 6 (p. 22)figure
      Fig. 7 (p. 23)figure
      Fig. 8 (p. 24)figure
      Table 2 (p. 25)table
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