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arXiv 0811.4426astro-ph
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六个秒差距尺度活动星系核喷流的三维磁场结构

Three dimensional magnetic field structure of six parsec-scale active galactic nuclei jets

Shane P. O'Sullivan, Denise C. Gabuzda

摘要:

利用VLBA在2006年7月2日进行的多频(4.6- 43 GHz)偏振观测,研究了6颗耀变体的秒差距尺度法拉第旋转测度(RM)分布。RM的分析提供了视线(LoS)磁场分量的方向,以及天空平面上的固有2-D偏振分布。我们的结果表明,核RM的幅度随频率系统地增加,并很好地描述了幂律,其中|RM_{core}| \propto a.我们的测量值的$a$从0.9到3.8不等,提供的信息,假设幂律下降的电子密度与距离的中央引擎为每个源。RM梯度被检测到跨射流的三个源,支持螺旋磁场的存在下,在鞘或边界层周围的射流。我们发现一个双峰分布的内在射流极化方向,对齐或正交的射流方向。螺旋磁场的几何形状可以巧妙地解释这两个双模型分布的射流极化方向和有序的极化结构上检测到这些尺度。在一半的来源,我们发现,核心RM的变化与中央引擎的距离的标志。我们提供了一个解释,通过考虑法拉第旋转材料螺纹的螺旋磁场,在相对论性喷流或加速/减速流的弯曲引起的变化,占主导地位的LoS组件的磁场,这反过来又引起了不同的迹象RM的边界层。(节略)

英文摘要:

The parsec-scale Faraday rotation measure (RM) distribution of six "blazars" is investigated using multi-frequency (4.6--43 GHz) polarization observations taken on 2006 July 2 with the VLBA. Analysis of the RM provides the direction of the line-of-sight (LoS) magnetic field component, as well as the intrinsic 2-D polarization distribution on the plane of the sky. Our results show that the magnitude of the core RM increases systematically with frequency, and is well described by a power-law, where |RM_{core}| \propto ν^a. Our measured values of $a$ vary from 0.9 to 3.8, providing information on the assumed power-law fall-off in the electron density with distance from the central engine for each source. RM gradients were detected across the jets of three sources, supporting the presence of helical magnetic fields in a sheath or boundary layer surrounding their jets. We find a bi-modal distribution of the intrinsic jet polarization orientation; either aligned or orthogonal to the jet direction. A helical magnetic field geometry can neatly explain both the bi-model distribution of the jet polarization orientation and the ordered polarization structure detected on these scales. In half the sources, we find that the core RM changes sign with distance from the central engine. We provide an explanation for this by considering a boundary layer of Faraday rotating material threaded by a helical magnetic field, where bends in the relativistic jet or accelerating/decelerating flows give rise to changes in the dominant LoS components of the magnetic field, which in turn gives rise to different signs of the RM. (abridged)

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