Microvariabilidad en la polarización óptica del blazar 3C 279

ANDRUCHOW, I.; CELLONE, S. A.; ROMERO, G. E.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 45a. Reunión Anual AAA; 2002

AAA

We present results of a study of the optical polarizationmicrovariability behaviour in the violently variable quasar 3C 279,based on observations made with the CasProf photopolarimeter at CASLEO.We have resolved the polarization curves in the V band for this objectdown to timescales of minutes. We found two main components in the timeevolution of the observed linear polarization: one consisting of aflicker with timescales of hours, and a second component with far moresignificant variations on a timescale of a few days. The linearpolarization varied from ? 18% down to ? 8% in two nights.The polarization angle underwent a sudden change of more than10o in a few hours. The amplitude of the intranightflickering in the degree of polarization is at the level of ? 2%.These polarization data are probably the better sampled ones everobtained for this object.