Open AccessSpectropolarimetry of PKS 0040−005 and the orientation of broad absorption line quasars ★
Author(s) -
Brotherton M. S.,
De Breuck C.,
Schaefer J. J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society: letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.067
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1745-3933
pISSN - 1745-3925
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-3933.2006.00226.x
Subject(s) - quasar , physics , astrophysics , position angle , outflow , astronomy , telescope , ovv quasar , polarization (electrochemistry) , galaxy , meteorology , chemistry
We have used the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to obtain spectropolarimetry of the radio‐loud, double‐lobed broad absorption line (BAL) quasar PKS 0040−005. We find that the optical continuum of PKS 0040−005 is intrinsically polarized at 0.7 per cent with an electric vector position angle nearly parallel to that of the large‐scale radio axis. This result is naturally explained in terms of an equatorial scattering region seen at a small inclination, building a strong case that the BAL outflow is not equatorial. In conjunction with other recent results concerning BAL quasars, the era of simply characterizing these sources as ‘edge‐on’ is over.