Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core
We present high-angular (0.17−0.35 arcsec) resolution imaging polarimetric observations of Mrk 231 in the 3.1 µm filter using MMT-Pol on the 6.5-m MMT, and in the 8.7 µm, 10.3 µm, and 11.6 µm filters using CanariCam on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS. In combination with already published observ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
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Oxford University Press
2016
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| _version_ | 1826259455425118208 |
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| author | Lopez-Rodriguez, E Packham, C Jones, T Siebenmorgen, R Roche, P Levenson, N Alonso-Herrero, A Perlman, E Ichikawa, K Ramos Almeida, C González-Martín, O Nikutta, R Martinez-Paredez, M Shenoy, D Gordon, M Telesco, C |
| author_facet | Lopez-Rodriguez, E Packham, C Jones, T Siebenmorgen, R Roche, P Levenson, N Alonso-Herrero, A Perlman, E Ichikawa, K Ramos Almeida, C González-Martín, O Nikutta, R Martinez-Paredez, M Shenoy, D Gordon, M Telesco, C |
| author_sort | Lopez-Rodriguez, E |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | We present high-angular (0.17−0.35 arcsec) resolution imaging polarimetric observations of Mrk 231 in the 3.1 µm filter using MMT-Pol on the 6.5-m MMT, and in the 8.7 µm, 10.3 µm, and 11.6 µm filters using CanariCam on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS. In combination with already published observations, we compile the 1−12 µm total and polarized nuclear spectral energy distribution (SED). The total flux SED in the central 400 pc is explained as the combination of 1) a hot (731 ± 4 K) dusty structure, directly irradiated by the central engine, which is at 1.6 ± 0.1 pc away and attributed to be in the pc-scale polar region, 2) an optically-thick, smooth and disk-like dusty structure (‘torus’) with an inclination of 48 ± 23◦ surrounding the central engine, and 3) an extinguished (AV = 36 ± 5 mag) starburst component. The polarized SED decreases from 0.77 ± 0.14 per cent at 1.2 µm to 0.31 ± 0.15 per cent at 11.6 µm and follows a power-law function, λ ∼0.57. The polarization angle remains constant (∼108◦ ) in the 1−12 µm wavelength range. The dominant polarization mechanism is explained as scattering off hot dust grains in the pc-scale polar regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:50:09Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:0ff4b69c-ee0a-493d-bf67-ab5f18e7107a |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:50:09Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:0ff4b69c-ee0a-493d-bf67-ab5f18e7107a2022-03-26T09:53:51ZInfrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central coreJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:0ff4b69c-ee0a-493d-bf67-ab5f18e7107aSymplectic Elements at OxfordOxford University Press2016Lopez-Rodriguez, EPackham, CJones, TSiebenmorgen, RRoche, PLevenson, NAlonso-Herrero, APerlman, EIchikawa, KRamos Almeida, CGonzález-Martín, ONikutta, RMartinez-Paredez, MShenoy, DGordon, MTelesco, CWe present high-angular (0.17−0.35 arcsec) resolution imaging polarimetric observations of Mrk 231 in the 3.1 µm filter using MMT-Pol on the 6.5-m MMT, and in the 8.7 µm, 10.3 µm, and 11.6 µm filters using CanariCam on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS. In combination with already published observations, we compile the 1−12 µm total and polarized nuclear spectral energy distribution (SED). The total flux SED in the central 400 pc is explained as the combination of 1) a hot (731 ± 4 K) dusty structure, directly irradiated by the central engine, which is at 1.6 ± 0.1 pc away and attributed to be in the pc-scale polar region, 2) an optically-thick, smooth and disk-like dusty structure (‘torus’) with an inclination of 48 ± 23◦ surrounding the central engine, and 3) an extinguished (AV = 36 ± 5 mag) starburst component. The polarized SED decreases from 0.77 ± 0.14 per cent at 1.2 µm to 0.31 ± 0.15 per cent at 11.6 µm and follows a power-law function, λ ∼0.57. The polarization angle remains constant (∼108◦ ) in the 1−12 µm wavelength range. The dominant polarization mechanism is explained as scattering off hot dust grains in the pc-scale polar regions. |
| spellingShingle | Lopez-Rodriguez, E Packham, C Jones, T Siebenmorgen, R Roche, P Levenson, N Alonso-Herrero, A Perlman, E Ichikawa, K Ramos Almeida, C González-Martín, O Nikutta, R Martinez-Paredez, M Shenoy, D Gordon, M Telesco, C Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title | Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title_full | Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title_fullStr | Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title_short | Infrared polarimetry of Mrk 231: scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
| title_sort | infrared polarimetry of mrk 231 scattering off hot dust grains in the central core |
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