Spectropolarimetry OF AGN: Ultraluminous and Superluminous IRAS Galaxies

摘要9409130凯，劳拉在活动星系核的“统一模型”中，取向效应在决定我们所看到的，从而决定我们如何对一个给定的天体进行分类方面起着很大的作用。这些模型中缺少的一部分是对窄线(类型2)类星体的识别。光学偏振光谱仪已经成功地用来证明某些类型的活动星系核实际上是被遮蔽的类型1(宽线和窄线)活动星系核。在这个项目中，首席研究人员将使用分光偏振技术来研究IRAS识别的“超光速”和“超亮度”2型活动星系核，看看其中一些是否含有只能在散射光中识别的I型类星体核，因此也就是偏振光。如果确定了这类遮蔽类星体的集合，那么将计划在红外和可能的HST上进行补充观测。巴纳德学院的本科生将在学年期间通过自主学习或作为暑期学生参与这一项目。

ABSTRACT 9409130 KAY, Laura In 'unified models' of Active Galactic Nuclei, orientation effects play a large role in determining what we see and thus how we classify a given object. One of the missing pieces in these models is the identification of Narrow-Line (Type 2) QSO's. Optical spectropolarimetry has been used successfully to show that some Type 2 AGN are in fact obscured Type 1 (Broad and Narrow-Line)AGN. For this project, the principal investigator will use spectropolarimetry to study 'superluminous' and ultraluminous' Type 2 AGN identified by IRAS to see if some of them harbor a Type I QSO nucleus identifiable only in scattered, and thus polarized, light. If a collection of such obscured quasars is identified, then complementary observations in infrared and possibly with HST will be planned. Undergraduate students from Barnard College will participate in this project through independent study during the academic year or as summer students.