The Polarization Behavior of Relativistic Synchrotron Jets

Abstract

We describe a geometric model for synchrotron radiation from blazar jets, involving multiple emission zones with turbulent magnetic fields and a transient core with a helical B field. Including the effects of jet divergence, particle cooling and the Relativistic PA rotation (RPAR) to the observer frame, we find polarization behavior consistent with recent data from monitoring campaigns. We predict that under some circumstances multi-$\pi$ rotation phases should exhibit relativistically-induced steps in rate $d\mathrm{PA}/dt$ and modulation in polarization $\Pi$ that can be helpful in pinning down the jet $\Gamma$ and ${\theta }_{\mathrm{obs}}$. Also, RPAR enhances waveband differences that will be particularly interesting for comparing radio, optical and, soon, X-ray PA and $\Pi$ variations.

Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

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• Two Flares with One Shock: the Interesting Case of 3C 454.3
• The Polarization Behavior of Relativistic Synchrotron Self-Compton Jets
• IXPE observation of PKS 2155-304 reveals the most highly polarized blazar
• Prospects for Detecting X-ray Polarization in Blazar Jets
• The Time-Dependent Distribution of Optical Polarization Angle Changes in Blazars
• The RoboPol Program: Optical Polarimetric Monitoring of Blazars
• Multiwavelength analysis and the difference in the behavior of the spectral features during the 2010 and 2014 flaring periods of the blazar 3C 454.3
• On the Radio Image of Relativistic Jets -- I. Internal Structure, Doppler Boosting, and Polarization Maps
• Testing particle acceleration in blazar jets with continuous high-cadence optical polarization observations
• Testing High-Energy Emission Models for Blazars with X-ray Polarimetry
• Probing Magnetic Fields and Acceleration Mechanisms in Blazar Jets with X-ray Polarimetry