Polarized radio outbursts in BL Lacertae. I. Polarized emission from a compact jet. II. The flux and polarization of a piston-driven shock

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163610· OSTI ID:5614850

Aller, H D; Aller, M F; Hughes, P A

A second highly polarized burst in BL Lacertae observed in 1983 which has very similar properties to the earlier burst in 1981-82 is described, and it is shown that in both bursts the electric vector of the polarized emission is nearly parallel to the observed extended structure. A weak shock, moving relativistically close to the line of sight, appears to be a very effective means of producing the observed behavior. A simple model is developed to represent the outbursts as due to a piston-driven shock which exhibits polarized emission due to compression of the otherwise random magnetic field of a collimated flow. It is shown that the general features of total flux, polarized flux, and polarization position angle as a function of frequency and time can be understood in terms of such a model. 34 references.

• Research Organization: Radio Astronomy Observatory, Ann Arbor, MI
• OSTI ID: 5614850
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 298
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BL LACERTAE OBJECTS
PLASMA JETS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
POLARIZATION
RADIANT FLUX DENSITY
SHOCK WAVES
WAVE PROPAGATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUX DENSITY
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
640103* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources- (-1987)