LONG-TERM OPTICAL POLARIZATION VARIABILITY OF THE TeV BLAZAR 1ES 1959+650
- Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apdo. 70-264, Mexico D.F. 04510 (Mexico)
- Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apdo. 810, Ensenada, B.C. 22800 (Mexico)
- Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, Apdo. Postal 51 y 216, 72000 Tonantzintla, Puebla (Mexico)
- ZAH, Landessternwarte Heidelberg, Koenigstuhl, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
- Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica de Andalucia, CSIC, Apartado 3004, E-18080 Granada (Spain)
- Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA), University of Turku, Vaeisaelaentie 20, FI-21500 Piikkioe (Finland)
A detailed analysis of the optical polarimetric variability of the TeV blazar 1ES 1959+650 from 2007 October 18 to 2011 May 5 is presented. The source showed maximum and minimum brightness states in the R band of 14.08 {+-} 0.03 mag and 15.20 {+-} 0.03 mag, respectively, with a maximum variation of 1.12 mag, and a maximum polarization degree of P = (12.2 {+-} 0.7)%, with a maximum variation of 10.7%. From 2009 August to November, a correlation between the optical R-band flux and the degree of linear polarization was found with a correlation coefficient r {sub pol} = 0.984 {+-} 0.025. The source presented a preferential position angle of optical polarization of {approx}153 Degree-Sign , with variations of 10 Degree-Sign -50 Degree-Sign , which is in agreement with the projected position angle of the parsec-scale jet found at 43 GHz. From the Stokes parameters we infer the existence of two optically thin synchrotron components that contribute to the polarized flux. One of them is stable with a constant polarization degree of 4%. Assuming a stationary shock for the variable component, we estimated some parameters associated with the physics of the relativistic jet: the magnetic field, B {approx} 0.06 G, the Doppler factor, {delta}{sub 0} {approx} 23, the viewing angle, {Phi} {approx} 2. Degree-Sign 4, and the size of the emission region r{sub b} {approx} 5.6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 17} cm. Our study is consistent with the spine-sheath model of explaining the polarimetric variability displayed by this source during our monitoring.
- OSTI ID:
- 22156538
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, Vol. 206, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0067-0049
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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