Article

RoboPol: connection between optical polarization plane rotations and gamma-ray flares in blazars

D. BlinovAstronomical Institute, St Petersburg State University, Universitetsky pr. 28, Petrodvoretz, 198504 St Petersburg, RussiaV. PavlidouDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceI. E. PapadakisDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceS. KiehlmannOwens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAIoannis LiodakisDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceG. V. PanopoulouCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAE. AngelakisMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyMislav BalokovićCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAT. HovattaTuorla Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Turku, Väisäläntie 20, FI-21500 Piikkiö, FinlandO. G. KingCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAA. J. KusToruń Centre for Astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Grudziadzka 5, PL-87-100 Toruń, PolandN. D. KylafisDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceAshish A MahabalCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USASiddharth MaharanaInter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, IndiaI. MyserlisMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, GermanyE. V. PaleologouDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceJ. PapamastorakisDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceE. PazderskiToruń Centre for Astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Grudziadzka 5, PL-87-100 Toruń, PolandT. J. PearsonCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAA. N. RamaprakashInter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, IndiaA. C. S. ReadheadCahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, MC 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAP. ReigDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceKonstantinos TassisDepartment of Physics and Institute for Theoretical and Computational Physics (ITCP), University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceJ. A. ZensusMax-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany

2017en

ABI

Abstract

We use results of our 3 yr polarimetric monitoring programme to investigate the previously suggested connection between rotations of the polarization plane in the optical emission of blazars and their gamma-ray flares in the GeV band. The homogeneous set of 40 rotation events in 24 sources detected by RoboPol is analysed together with the gamma-ray data provided by Fermi-LAT. We confirm that polarization plane rotations are indeed related to the closest gamma-ray flares in blazars and the time lags between these events are consistent with zero. Amplitudes of the rotations are anticorrelated with amplitudes of the gamma-ray flares. This is presumably caused by higher relativistic boosting (higher Doppler factors) in blazars that exhibit smaller amplitude polarization plane rotations. Moreover, the time-scales of rotations and flares are marginally correlated.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx2786

Citations and references

Cited by 20 references

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