Polarimetric Monitoring of Jets with Kanata Telescope

Abstract

Abstract:The polarization of relativistic jets is of interest for the understanding of their origin, confinement, and propagation. However, even though numerous measurements have been performed, the mechanisms behind jet variability, creation, and composition are still debated. We have performed simultaneous gamma-ray and optical photopolarimetry observations of 45 blazars with the Kanata telescope since July 2008 to investigate the mechanisms of variability and search for a basic relation between the several subclasses of relativistic jets. Consequently, we found that a correlation between the gamma-ray and optical flux might be related to gamma-ray luminosity, and the maximum polarization degree might be related to gamma-ray luminosity or the ratio of gamma-ray to optical flux. These results imply that low gamma-ray luminosity blazars emit from multiple regions.

Optical polarization properties of AGNs with significant VLBI–Gaia offsets

“…We also used data from two major optical polarization monitoring programs focused on blazars: Kanata (Itoh et al 2018) and RoboPol (Blinov & Pavlidou 2019). Using Kanata monitoring data for 27 and 37 sources in the R and V bands from Itoh et al (2016), we calculated the average fractional polarization of each source.…”

The RoboPol Program: Optical Polarimetric Monitoring of Blazars

“…Therefore, a number of optical polarization monitoring programs have since focused on observations of blazars that are bright and active in γ-rays. Such major monitoring programs have been carried out by the Boston University group [15], at St. Petersburg University [16], at the Hiroshima University (Kanata program) [17], at the Steward Observatory [18], at the Calar Alto observatory [19], and at the Tuorla observatory [20].…”