Optical Emission and Particle Acceleration in a Quasi-stationary Component in the Jet of OJ 287

DOI: 
10.3847/1538-4357/aad553
Publication date: 
01/09/2018
Main author: 
Sasada, Mahito
IAA authors: 
Agudo, Iván;Casadio, Carolina;Gómez, José L.;Molina, Sol N.
Authors: 
Sasada, Mahito;Jorstad, Svetlana;Marscher, Alan P.;Bala, Vishal;Joshi, Manasvita;MacDonald, Nicholas R.;Malmrose, Michael P.;Larionov, Valeri M.;Morozova, Daria A.;Troitsky, Ivan S.;Agudo, Iván;Casadio, Carolina;Gómez, José L.;Molina, Sol N.;Itoh, Ryosuke
Journal: 
The Astrophysical Journal
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
864
Pages: 
1DUMMY
Abstract: 
We analyze the linear polarization of the relativistic jet in BL Lacertae object OJ 287 as revealed by multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array images at 43 GHz and monitoring observations at optical bands. The electric-vector position angle of the optical polarization matches that at 43 GHz at locations that are often in the compact millimeter-wave “core” or, at other epochs, coincident with a bright, quasi-stationary emission feature ∼0.2 mas (∼0.9 pc projected on the sky) downstream from the core. This implies that electrons with high enough energies to emit optical synchrotron and γ-ray inverse Compton radiation are accelerated both in the core and at the downstream feature, the latter of which lies ≥10 pc from the central engine. The polarization vector in the stationary feature is nearly parallel to the jet axis, as expected for a conical standing shock capable of accelerating electrons to GeV energies.
Database: 
ADS
SCOPUS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2018ApJ...864...67S/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2018ApJ...864...67S
Keywords: 
BL Lacertae objects: individual: OJ 287;galaxies: active;galaxies: jets;methods: observational;techniques: polarimetric;Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies