Polarimetric studies of GRBs, AGN jets, and axion dark matter
Abstract
Relativistic jets are collimated outflows with speeds close to light speed, which are associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and so on. This article mainly overviews recent developments of polarimetric studies of GRBs and their afterglows in the gamma-ray and optical wavebands as well as the first detections of their radio polarization. Polarimetric observations and theoretical modelings can address the emission mechanism, magnetic field structure, and energetics of GRB jets and related collisionless plasma physics. Some of the discussed key physics are common with AGN jets. Furthermore, we mention that polarimetry of AGN jets and protoplanetary disks may be a novel approach to search for ultra-light axion dark matter.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2112.13531,
title = {Polarimetric studies of GRBs, AGN jets, and axion dark matter},
author = {Kenji Toma},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.13531},
year = {2021}
}
Comments
8 pages, 5 figures, to appear in proceedings of IAU symposium 360 "Astronomical Polarimetry -- New Era of Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry", held at Mar 22-26, 2021