Constraints on magnetic field and particle content in blazar jets through optical circular polarization
: Liodakis Yannis, Blinov Dmitry, Potter Stephen B, Rieger Frank M
Publisher: Oxford University Press
: 2022
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
: 509
: 1
: L21
: L25
: 1745-3925
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slab118
: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slab118
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/174851070
Polarization offers a unique view in the physical processes of astrophysical jets. We report on optical circular polarization (CP) observations of two famous blazars, namely 3C 279 and PKS 1510−089, at high linearly polarized states. This is the first time PKS 1510−089 is observed in optical CP. While only upper limits can be extracted from our observing campaign, the non-detection of optical CP allows us to provide meaningful constraints on their magnetic field strength and jet composition. We find that high-energy emission models requiring high magnetic field strength and a low positron fraction can be excluded.