Linear polarization signatures of particle acceleration in high-synchrotron-peak blazars
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Published version
Date
2022-12
Authors
Marscher, Alan P.
Jorstad, Svetlana G.
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OA Version
Published version
Citation
A.P. Marscher, S.G. Jorstad. 2022. "Linear Polarization Signatures of Particle Acceleration in High-Synchrotron-Peak Blazars" Universe, Volume 8, Issue 12, pp.644-644. https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8120644
Abstract
Blazars whose synchrotron spectral energy distribution (SED) peaks at X-ray energies need to accelerate electrons to energies in the >100 GeV range in relativistic plasma jets at distances of parsecs from the central engine. Compton scattering by the same electrons can explain high luminosities at very high photon energies (>100 GeV) from the same objects. Turbulence combined with a standing conical shock can accomplish this. Such a scenario can also qualitatively explain the level and variability of linear polarization observed at optical frequencies in these objects. Multi-wavelength polarization measurements, including those at X-ray energies by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), find that the degree of polarization is several times higher at X-ray than at optical wavelengths, in general agreement with the turbulence-plus-shock picture. Some detailed properties of the observed polarization can be naturally explained by this scenario, while others pose challenges that may require modifications to the model.
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© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)