Sasada, MahitoJorstad, SvetlanaMarscher, Alan P.Bala, VishalJoshi, ManasvitaMacDonald, Nicholas R.Malmrose, Michael P.Larionov, Valeri M.Morozova, Daria A.Troitsky, Ivan S.Agudo, IvanCasadio, CarolinaGomez, Jose L.Molina, Sol N.Itoh, Ryosuke2019-02-142019-02-142018-09-01Mahito Sasada, Svetlana Jorstad, Alan P Marscher, Vishal Bala, Manasvita Joshi, Nicholas R MacDonald, Michael P Malmrose, Valeri M Larionov, Daria A Morozova, Ivan S Troitsky, Ivan Agudo, Carolina Casadio, Jose L Gomez, Sol N Molina, Ryosuke Itoh. 2018. "Optical Emission and Particle Acceleration in a Quasi-stationary Component in the Jet of OJ 287." ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Volume 864, Issue 1, pp. ? - ? (11). https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aad5530004-637X1538-4357https://hdl.handle.net/2144/33328We analyze the linear polarization of the relativistic jet in BL Lacertae object OJ 287 as revealed by multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array images at 43 GHz and monitoring observations at optical bands. The electric-vector position angle of the optical polarization matches that at 43 GHz at locations that are often in the compact millimeter-wave "core" or, at other epochs, coincident with a bright, quasi-stationary emission feature ~0.2 mas (~0.9 pc projected on the sky) downstream from the core. This implies that electrons with high enough energies to emit optical synchrotron and γ-ray inverse Compton radiation are accelerated both in the core and at the downstream feature, the latter of which lies ≥10 pc from the central engine. The polarization vector in the stationary feature is nearly parallel to the jet axis, as expected for a conical standing shock capable of accelerating electrons to GeV energies.11 p.en-USScience & technologyPhysical sciencesAstronomy & astrophysicsBL Lacertae objects: individual (OJ 287)Galaxies: activeGalaxies: jetsMethods: observationalTechniques: polarimetricActive galactic nucleiPolarimetric observationsLinear-polarizationHigh-frequenciesRadio outburstsBL-LacertaeBlazar jets3C 454.3ShocksVariabilityAstronomical and space sciencesOrganic chemistryPhysical chemistry (incl. structural)Article10.3847/1538-4357/aad5530000-0001-7396-3332 (Marscher, Alan P)