The optical polarization of QSOs
Abstract
A description is presented of an extensive survey of the optical linear polarization of QSOs. A primary conclusion from the survey is that the great majority of QSO's have very low (but significant) intrinsic optical polarization. The distribution of polarization is dominated by QSOs with P less than 1.5%. Among the low polarization ('normal') QSOs, there are no significant polarimetric differences between radio-loud and radio-quiet QSOs. A small fraction of QSOs exhibit distinctly higher polarization with P in the range from 4 to 20%. Essentially no QSOs have intermediate polarizations with P in the range from 2% to 4%. The discontinuity in the distribution of polarization suggests that there are two basic types of QSOs, including the normal QSOs and the highly polarized QSOs (HPQs).
- Publication:
-
Extragalactic Radio Sources
- Pub Date:
- 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982IAUS...97..341M
- Keywords:
-
- Linear Polarization;
- Optical Polarization;
- Polarimetry;
- Quasars;
- Astronomical Models;
- Plasma Jets;
- Radio Sources (Astronomy);
- Astrophysics