Quasar Host Orientation and Polarization: Insights into the Type 1/Type 2 Dichotomy
Abstract
We investigate correlations between the optical linear polarization position angle and the orientation of the host galaxy/extended emission of Type 1 and Type 2 Radio-Loud (RL) and Radio-Quiet (RQ) quasars. We have used high resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data and deconvolution process to obtain a good determination of the host galaxy orientation. With these new measurements and a compilation of data from the literature, we find a significant correlation between the polarization position angle and the position angle of the major axis of the host galaxy/extended emission. The correlation appears different for Type 1 and Type 2 objects and depends on the redshift of the source. Interpretations in the framework of the unification model are discussed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0710.4072,
title = {Quasar Host Orientation and Polarization: Insights into the Type 1/Type 2 Dichotomy},
author = {B. Borguet and D. Hutsemékers and G. Letawe and Y. Letawe and P. Magain},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0710.4072},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
3 pages, 1 figure, to appear in "The Nuclear Region, Host Galaxy and Environment of Active Galaxies", eds. E. Benitez, I. Cruz-Gonzalez and Y. Krongold, RevMexAA (Serie de Conferencias)