Optical spectropolarimetry of radio galaxies.
Abstract
This project is a search for relationships between radio and optical properties of radio galaxies. A set of 6 cm radio maps was made with the VLA, and many flux and polarization spectra were taken with the Lick 3 m telescope. The paper presents the spectropolarimetry and its relation to the radio structures. Quiescent quasar optical polarizations are all or nearly all aligned with the associated radio structure axes, Seyfert 1 polarizations tend to align with the radio sources, and Seyfert 2 polarizations are perpendicular to the radio axes. Among radio galaxies there is a significant excess of parallel objects. Among those which are not aligned, several show a perpendicular relationship. As examples of the latter case, extensive data for 3C 234 and 3C 382 are discussed and possible polarization mechanisms are modeled.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 1984
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1984ApJ...278..499A
- Keywords:
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- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- Optical Polarization;
- Polarimetry;
- Quasars;
- Radio Galaxies;
- Seyfert Galaxies;
- Emission Spectra;
- Variability;
- Astronomy