Polarization of synchrotron emission from relativistic reconfinement shocks

We study the polarization properties of relativistic reconfinement shocks with chaotic magnetic fields. Using our hydrodynamical model of their structure, we calculate synthetic polarization maps, longitudinal polarization profiles and discuss the spatially averaged polarization degree as a function...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2009-05, Vol.395 (1), p.524-530
Main Author: Nalewajko, Krzysztof
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Fluid dynamics
galaxies: jets
Magnetic fields
polarization
shock waves
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We study the polarization properties of relativistic reconfinement shocks with chaotic magnetic fields. Using our hydrodynamical model of their structure, we calculate synthetic polarization maps, longitudinal polarization profiles and discuss the spatially averaged polarization degree as a function of jet half-opening angle Θj, jet Lorentz factor Γj and observer inclination angle to the jet axis θobs. We find that for θobs≲Θj the wave electric vectors are parallel in the vicinity of the structure ends and perpendicular in between, while for θobs > Θj the polarization can only be perpendicular. The spatially averaged polarization degree does not exceed 30 per cent. Parallel average polarization, with polarization degrees lower than 10 per cent, has been found for θobs < Θj under the condition ΓjΘj > 1. As earlier works predicted the parallel polarization from relativistic conical shocks, we explain our results by discussing conical shocks with divergent upstream flow.
ISSN:0035-8711
1365-2966
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14559.x