VERY LARGE TELESCOPE SPECTROPOLARIMETRY OF BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QSOs

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/193/1/9· OSTI ID:21557062

DiPompeo, M A; Brotherton, M S ^[1]; De Breuck, C ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy 3905, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University, Laramie, WY 82071 (United States)
2. European Southern Observatory, Karl Schwarzschild Strasse 2, 85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany)

We present spectropolarimetry of 19 confirmed and four possible bright, southern broad absorption line (BAL) quasars from the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope. A wide range of redshifts is covered in the sample (from 0.9 to 3.4), and both low- and high-ionization quasars are represented, as well as radio-loud and radio-quiet BALQSOs. We continue to confirm previously established spectropolarimetric properties of BALQSOs, including the generally rising continuum polarization with shorter wavelengths and comparatively large fraction with high broadband polarization (6 of 19 with polarizations >2%). Emission lines are polarized less than or similar to the continuum, except in a few unusual cases, and absorption troughs tend to have higher polarizations. A search for correlations between polarization properties has been done, identifying two significant or marginally significant correlations. These are an increase in continuum polarization with decreasing optical luminosity (increasing absolute B magnitude) and decreasing C IV emission-line polarization with increased continuum polarization.

• OSTI ID: 21557062
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 193; ISSN 0067-0049; ISSN APJSA2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
CORRELATIONS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
EMISSION
LUMINOSITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLARIMETRY
POLARIZATION
QUASARS
RED SHIFT
SORPTION
TELESCOPES