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Near-IR Polarimetry of the Obscured Nucleus in the Circinus Galaxy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

D. M. Alexander
Affiliation:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, UK, AL10 9AB International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy
M. Ruiz
Affiliation:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, UK, AL10 9AB
S. Young
Affiliation:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, UK, AL10 9AB
C. Heisler
Affiliation:
Mount Stromlo & Siding Spring Observatory, Canberra, Australia
S. Lumsden
Affiliation:
Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping NWS, Australia
J. H. Hough
Affiliation:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, UK, AL10 9AB
J. Bailey
Affiliation:
Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping NWS, Australia

Abstract

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We present J and K band imaging polarimetry and optical and K band spectropolarimetry of the Circinus galaxy. The imaging polarimetry shows a bipolar scattering cone in the J band and a more compact structure in the K band. The spectropolarimetry shows broad polarised hydrogen alpha in the optical, however broad lines are not detected in the K band. Analysis of the observations show that galactic and stellar processes dominate in the optical total and polarised flux whilst the nucleus dominates in the near-IR polarised flux. Modelling of the observations show that the small fraction of nuclear polarisation in the optical is due to electron scattering whilst the K band polarisation is dominated by dichroism.

Type
I. Observational Properties of AGN
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 1999 

References

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