Summary
X-ray polarization in the EHSP blazar H 1426+428 exceeds 20%, while optical polarization is only 1−3%. This energy-dependent polarization supports a shock-driven energy stratification model, with notable differences in polarization angles indicating complex magnetic field structures.
Highlights
- X-ray polarization degree (PD) > 20%, optical PD only 1−3%.
- Consistent with shock-driven energy stratification in HSP blazar jets.
- Significant difference observed between optical and X-ray polarization angles.
- EHSP blazar H 1426+428 exhibits synchrotron peak near ~10^18 Hz in X-rays.
- Particle acceleration mechanisms include shock and magnetic reconnection.
- Optical polarization angle often misaligned with jet orientation.
- Polarization angle rotation suggests helical magnetic field influence.
Key Insights
- The higher X-ray PD compared to optical PD is explained by electrons near the shock front emitting X-rays in a more ordered magnetic field region, whereas the optical emission comes from further downstream where turbulence reduces polarization. This supports the energy-stratified shock acceleration scenario in HSP blazars.
- A significant mismatch between polarization angles in X-ray and optical bands indicates complex magnetic field geometry, such as localized regions of ordered and turbulent fields or propagation of shocked plasma through helical magnetic structures.
- H 1426+428, classified as an extreme HSP blazar due to its synchrotron peak around 10^18 Hz, serves as an important target for contemporaneous multiwavelength polarimetric studies to probe particle acceleration and jet structure.
- Observed intra-day variability in both X-ray and optical domains suggests dynamic particle acceleration processes involving shocks and magnetic reconnection within the jet.
- The use of advanced data analysis tools like xspec combined with polarization models enables precise measurement of polarization degree (PD) and angle (PA), critical for understanding high energy emission mechanisms.
- Optical polarization angles often show misalignment with the jet’s radio position angle, reflecting either evolving jet orientation or turbulent magnetic field conditions, challenging simple shock-compression models.
- Detection of polarization angle rotations points toward evolving magnetic field conditions downstream of shocks, potentially linked to helical magnetic fields, providing insights into jet plasma dynamics and structure in blazars.
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Citation
Banerjee, A., Garg, A., Rawat, D., Jorstad, S., Marscher, A. P., Agudo, I., … Ajello, M. (2025). Contemporaneous X-ray and Optical Polarization of EHSP Blazar H 1426+428 (Version 1). arXiv. http://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2504.12410