Milliarcsecond Polarization Measurements of Compact Extragalactic Radio Sources

在最小角尺度下研究活动星系核（AGN）厘米波长辐射的线极化。这将通过偏振敏感的甚长基线干涉测量技术（“偏振VLBI”）来完成，通过该技术，紧凑射电源的线性极化结构可以在毫弧秒的角度尺度上确定。在AGN的距离上，这相当于光年的物理尺度。线性极化告诉我们agn的磁场结构、辐射机制、粒子含量、运动学和几何形状，这将有助于我们了解它们的结构和演化。这项工作的最终目标是详细阐述agn的核心机制，目前认为是物质向大质量黑洞的吸积。

The linear polarization of the centimeter-wave length radiation from active galactic nuclei (AGN) will be studied at the smallest angular scales. This will be accomplished with the technique of polarization-sensitive Very Long Baseline Interferometry ("polarization VLBI"), whereby the linear polarization structure of compact radio sources may be determined on angular scales of milliarcseconds. At the distance of AGN, this corresponds to physical scales of light years. The linear polarization tells us about the magnetic field structure, radiation mechanisms, particle content, kinematics, and geometry of AGNs, which will help us understand their structure and evolution. The ultimate goal of this work is to elaborate the mechanism that lies at the heart of AGNs, currently thought to be accretion of material onto massive black holes.