Detection of X-ray Polarization from the Blazar 1ES 1959+650 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

Abstract

Observations of linear polarization in the 2-8 keV energy range with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) explore the magnetic field geometry and dynamics of the regions generating non-thermal radiation in relativistic jets of blazars. These jets, particularly in blazars whose spectral energy distribution peaks at X-ray energies, emit X-rays via synchrotron radiation from high-energy particles within the jet. IXPE observations of the X-ray selected BL Lac-type blazar 1ES 1959+650 in 2022 May 3-4 showed a significant linear polarization degree of ${\Pi }_{\mathrm{x}}=8.0\%\pm 2.3\%$ at an electric-vector position angle ${\psi }_{\mathrm{x}}=123^{\circ }\pm 8^{\circ }$. However, in 2022 June 9-12, only an upper limit of ${\Pi }_{\mathrm{x}}\le 5.1\%$ could be derived (at the 99% confidence level). The degree of optical polarization at that time ${\Pi }_{\mathrm{O}}\sim 5\%$ is comparable to the X-ray measurement. We investigate possible scenarios for these findings, including temporal and geometrical depolarization effects. Unlike some other X-ray selected BL Lac objects, there is no significant chromatic dependence of the measured polarization in 1ES 1959+650, and its low X-ray polarization may be attributed to turbulence in the jet flow with dynamical timescales shorter than 1 day.

16 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

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