J/ApJ/512/125 Polarization of broad absorption line QSOs (Schmidt+, 1999)
The polarization of broad absorption line QSOs
Schmidt G.D., Hines D.C.
<Astrophys. J. 512, 125 (1999)>
=1999ApJ...512..125S 1999ApJ...512..125S (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)
ADC_Keywords: Polarization; QSOs; Surveys
Keywords: polarization - quasars: absorption lines - quasars: emission lines -
quasars: general - surveys
Abstract:
We present the combined results of optical polarization surveys of
QSOs showing broad absorption lines (BALQSOs) conducted at the Steward
and McDonald Observatories. The merged list of 53 objects provides the
first statistical justification for claims of the tendency of BALQSOs
to show stronger than average polarization, with a typical BALQSO
being polarized a factor 2.4 times greater than a QSO from an optical
survey selected without regard for absorption lines.
Spectropolarimetry of sufficient quality to distinguish the
polarization of emission lines versus absorption troughs versus
continuum is also presented for six objects from the survey.
Description:
The measurements were made in nearly identical wavebands and with
similar sensitivities using several generations of polarimeter at
Steward Observatory of both the Pockels cell and rotating wave plate
variety and with the Breger polarimeter at McDonald (Breger 1977;
Wills et al. 1992).
File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
table1.dat 85 130 Polarization survey of QSOs
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See also:
J/A+A/332/410 : Quasar polarization (Hutsemekers 1998)
J/A+A/340/371 : Quasar polarization (Hutsemekers+ 1998)
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table1.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 14 A14 --- Name QSO object name
18- 22 F5.3 --- z Redshift of Name
24- 26 A3 --- f_Pol [Sum] Indicates polarization and position
angles are error-weighted means
29- 32 I4 yr Obs.Y ? Year of observation
33- 34 I2 "month" Obs.M ? Month of observation
35- 36 I2 d Obs.D ? Day of observation
38 I1 d UpR.D ? Indicates observations carried out over a
range of days and is the upper value
41- 48 A8 --- Tele Telescope used. (1)
50- 54 A5 --- Band Filter band of the observations (2)
56 A1 --- r_Band [b] Indicates observation obtained by
B. Wills 1998, private communication
58- 62 F5.2 % Pol Degree of polarization
68- 71 F4.2 % e_Pol Uncertainty in Pol
74- 78 F5.1 deg PolPA Position angle
82- 85 F4.1 deg e_PolPA Uncertainty in PolPA
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Note (1): the telescopes are:
MO = McDonald Observatory
SO = Steward Observatory
KPNO = Kitt Peak National Observatory
Note (2): W = white light observation at 3200 - 8600 Å
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History:
From the ApJ electronic edition
References:
Breger, M. 1977, ApJ, 215, 119 (1977ApJ...215..119B 1977ApJ...215..119B)
Wills, B. J., Wills, D., Breger, M., Antonucci, R. R. J., & Barvainis, R.
1992, ApJ, 398, 454 (1992ApJ...398..454W 1992ApJ...398..454W)
(End) Greg Schwarz [AAS] 02-Mar-2000