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Modelling the polarization dichotomy of Active Galactic Nuclei

2007/12/12 by R. W. Goosmann, Rene W. Goosmann, Goosmann, Rene W.
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0712.1919

9 pages, 4 figures, proceedings of the RAGtime 8/9 meeting: Workshops on black holes and neutron stars, Opava, 15-19/19-21 September, 2006/2007, Eds.: S. Hledik, Z. Stuchlik, Silesian University in Opava, Czech republic, 2007

arxiv created 2007/12/12 · openalex publication_date 2007/12/12 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

I present polarization modelling of Active Galactic Nuclei in the optical/UV range. The modelling is conducted using the Monte-Carlo radiative transfer code Stokes, which self-consistently models the polarization signature of a complex model arrangement for an active nucleus. In this work I include three different scattering regions around the central source: an equatorial electron scattering disk, an equatorial obscuring dusty torus, and polar electron scattering cones. I investigate the resulting dependencies of the V-band polarization for different optical depths of the scattering cones, different dust compositions inside the torus, and various half-opening angles of the torus/polar cones. The observed polarization dichotomy can be successfully reproduced by the model.

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