DOI

Time-variable polarization is an extremely valuable observational tool to probe the dynamical physical conditions of blazar jets. Since 2008, we have been monitoring the flux and linear polarization of a sample of gamma-ray bright blazars at optical frequencies. Some of the observations were performed on nightly or intra-night time-scales in four optical bands, providing information on the frequency and time dependence of the polarization. The observed behavior is similar to that found in simulations of turbulent plasma in a relativistic jet that contains a standing shock and/or a helical background magnetic field. Similar simulations predict the characteristics of X-ray syn-chrotron polarization of blazars that will be measured in the future by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE).

Original languageEnglish
Article number27
Number of pages17
JournalGalaxies
Volume9
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2021

    Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics

    Research areas

  • BL Lacertae objects: general, Galaxies: active, Galaxies: jets, Quasars: general, INTERMITTENCY, galaxies, RELATIVISTIC JETS, active, jets, BL Lacertae objects, ACCELERATION, VARIABILITY, general, PLASMA, ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI, FLUCTUATIONS, X-RAY, RADIO-SOURCES, INNER JET, quasars

ID: 86508392