1998A&A...332..410H

Query : 1998A&A...332..410H

1998A&A...332..410H - Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 332410-428 (1998/4-2)

Evidence for very large-scale coherent orientations of quasar polarization vectors.

HUTSEMEKERS D.

Abstract (from CDS):

On the basis of a new sample of quasar optical polarization measurements, we have found that, in a region of the sky, the quasar polarization vectors are not randomly oriented as naturally expected, but appear concentrated around one preferential direction. In order to verify this surprising although preliminary result, we have compiled a large sample of quasar polarization measurements from the literature. With quite severe criteria to eliminate at best the contamination by our Galaxy, a sample of 170 quasars with good quality polarization measurements has been defined. Maps in redshift slices reveal a few regions where the polarization vectors are apparently aligned. To handle the problem more quantitatively, non-parametric 3D statistical tests were designed, as well as a method for visualizing spatially the results. The significance is evaluated through Monte-Carlo simulations. Applied to our sample of 170 polarized quasars, two different statistical tests provide evidence, with significance levels of 0.005 and 0.015 respectively, that the optical polarization vectors of quasars are not randomly distributed over the sky but are coherently oriented on very large spatial scales. This orientation effect appears spatially delimited in the 3D Universe, mainly occuring in a few groups of 10-20 objects. The polarization vectors of objects located along the same line of sight but at different redshifts do not appear accordingly aligned. Essentially for this reason, instrumental bias and contamination by interstellar polarization in our Galaxy are unlikely to be responsible for the observed effect. The very large scale at which this local orientation effect is observed indicates the presence of correlations in objects or fields on spatial scales ∼1000h–1Mpc at redshifts z≃1-2, suggesting an effect of cosmological importance. Several possible and testable interpretations are discussed.

Abstract Copyright: ∼

Journal keyword(s): large-scale structure of the Universe - quasars: general - polarization - methods: statistical

VizieR on-line data: <Available at CDS (J/A+A/332/410): table2+3.dat>

Simbad objects: 170

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Number of rows : 170
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA 		ICRS (J2000)
DEC 		Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026 		#notes
1 ICRF J000559.2+160949 Sy1 00 05 59.2378545384 +16 09 49.021968096   16.51 16.40     ~ 307 1
2 QSO B0003-066 BLL 00 06 13.89288482 -06 23 35.3353584   19.1 18.50 17.14   ~ 346 1
3 LBQS 0013-0029 QSO 00 16 02.4050159808 -00 12 25.077257064   18.67 18.36     ~ 198 0
4 3C 9 BLL 00 20 25.2231670656 +15 40 54.774271884   17.92 17.62     ~ 347 1
5 PB 5901 QSO 00 22 27.4798833168 +01 24 12.564927324   17 18.9     ~ 80 0
6 LBQS 0021-0213 QSO 00 24 10.8946824312 -01 56 46.879465092     18.7     ~ 34 0
7 QSO J0027+2241 Bla 00 27 15.3715301928 +22 41 58.067953764   16.90 16.57 15.60   ~ 93 1
8 LBQS 0029+0017 QSO 00 31 35.5729847640 +00 34 21.268298424     18     ~ 83 0
9 Mrk 1502 Sy1 00 53 34.9331107632 +12 41 35.929269132   14.41 14.03     ~ 1242 1
10 4C 29.01 QSO 00 53 44.3234479488 +29 25 07.100355360     17.8     ~ 84 1
11 LBQS 0059-2735 QSO 01 02 17.0407393968 -27 19 49.976679540   18.0       ~ 95 0
12 PHL 957 QSO 01 03 11.2741573824 +13 16 17.809871484   16.97 16.57     ~ 350 0
13 4C 01.02 Bla 01 08 38.77110544 +01 35 00.3171844   18.54 18.39 19.05   ~ 589 1
14 4C 29.02 Sy1 01 13 24.2416856760 +29 58 16.025424636     17.00     ~ 89 1
15 QSO B0117+2118 QSO 01 20 17.2642359528 +21 33 46.197696168     16.1     ~ 130 0
16 QSO B0119+041 Bla 01 21 56.86169274 +04 22 24.7342932   19.2 19.5 19.40   ~ 200 1
17 4C 25.05 Bla 01 26 42.79263357 +25 59 01.3001559     17.50 17.86   ~ 177 1
18 ICRF J013324.6+242741 Sy1 01 33 24.6277653312 +24 27 41.305331700     16.8     ~ 86 2
19 2E 437 Sy1 01 36 24.4208152464 +20 57 27.522990972   18.15 18.10     ~ 367 2
20 LEDA 6178 Sy1 01 40 17.0678986752 -00 50 03.026578740   16.46 16.30 16.3   ~ 98 0
21 QSO B0137-018 QSO 01 40 18.2026101144 -01 38 05.895278160   18.7 18.0     ~ 48 0
22 QSO B0145+042 QSO 01 48 17.5092687840 +04 31 19.145161632   18 18.8     ~ 44 0
23 QSO J0149+0157 QSO 01 49 18.7441158792 +01 57 22.615827264   17 18.6     ~ 55 0
24 QSO B0148+090 Sy1 01 51 30.8 +09 17 25   17.43 17.50     ~ 36 0
25 ICRF J020157.1-113233 Sy1 02 01 57.1794759192 -11 32 33.435766068   16.54 16.40 16.073   ~ 223 1
26 QSO B0202-172 Bla 02 04 57.67433267 -17 01 19.8408671   18.18 18 17.19   ~ 263 1
27 Mrk 586 Sy1 02 07 49.8619039200 +02 42 55.876760568   15.67 15.41     ~ 192 0
28 QSO B0208-512 BLL 02 10 46.2004407600 -51 01 01.893013392   17.10 16.93 14.82   ~ 485 1
29 4C 10.06 Sy1 02 17 07.6653021240 +11 04 09.877412784     16.46     ~ 105 1
30 4C -03.07 Bla 02 28 53.2110624600 -03 37 37.123953384   17.03 16.96 16.8   ~ 162 1
31 4C -04.06 QSO 02 35 07.3418452008 -04 02 05.317096956   16.61 16.46 16.2   ~ 222 1
32 QSO B0332-403 BLL 03 34 13.65448823 -40 08 25.3979928 18.54 18.35 17.87 17.5   ~ 349 1
33 QSO B0333-3801 QSO 03 34 52.4133825768 -37 51 08.963967168   18.5 18.5     ~ 16 0
34 QSO B0336-0156 Bla 03 39 30.93778633 -01 46 35.8041892   18.96 18.41 17.33   ~ 598 1
35 QSO B0348+061 QSO 03 51 16.5651050784 +06 19 14.313809028     17.6     ~ 50 0
36 2MASSI J0352305-071102 Sy1 03 52 30.5518280976 -07 11 02.326141644   17.02 16.67     ~ 163 1
37 QSO J0403-3605 Bla 04 03 53.74990003 -36 05 01.9131880   17.04 17.17 16.67   ~ 313 1
38 QSO B0403-132A BLL 04 05 34.00339116 -13 08 13.6909309   17.37 17.09 16.6   ~ 384 1
39 PKS 0405-123 Bla 04 07 48.4309841856 -12 11 36.659928408   15.09 14.86 14.7   ~ 531 1
40 2E 962 Sy1 04 17 16.7842972416 -05 53 45.608035560   16.24 15.94 15.7   ~ 173 1
41 QSO B0420-0127 Bla 04 23 15.80072217 -01 20 33.0656073   17.50 17.00 16.28   ~ 1263 3
42 QSO B0438-43 Bla 04 40 17.17997576 -43 33 08.6043290   19.31 19.5 18.2   ~ 302 2
43 QSO B0451-281 Bla 04 53 14.64679973 -28 07 37.3269982   18.23 18.2 17.83   ~ 223 1
44 QSO J0457-2324 Bla 04 57 03.1791422424 -23 24 52.021129572   18.85 18.5 16.56   ~ 435 1
45 QSO B0506-612 Bla 05 06 43.98874900 -61 09 40.9939787   17.16 16.85 16.9   ~ 186 2
46 QSO B0537-441 BLL 05 38 50.36155950 -44 05 08.9390233   15.77 16.48 16   ~ 924 2
47 7C 080458.39+495918.00 Bla 08 08 39.66628970 +49 50 36.5304041   19.55 19.18 18.34   ~ 389 2
48 4C 71.07 Bla 08 41 24.36528508 +70 53 42.1730435     17.30 16.8   ~ 818 1
49 QSO B0839+187 Bla 08 42 05.0940565824 +18 35 40.988568300   16.63 16.36 16.56   ~ 196 2
50 Ton 951 Sy1 08 47 42.4485615096 +34 45 04.482515304   14.83 14.50     ~ 487 0
51 LB 8775 QSO 08 51 41.7703796136 +16 12 21.956419620   16.70       ~ 93 0
52 3C 208 QSO 08 53 08.6093021736 +13 52 54.845406984   17.76 17.42     ~ 257 1
53 PG 0851+202 BLL 08 54 48.8749846272 +20 06 30.639583620   15.649 15.146 15.446   ~ 2513 1
54 3C 212 QSO 08 58 41.44702653 +14 09 44.7622845   19.96 19.06     ~ 257 1
55 QSO B0903+1734 QSO 09 06 38.1896237760 +17 22 23.423856456   17.3 18.0     ~ 63 0
56 3C 216.0 Bla 09 09 33.49714902 +42 53 46.4821036   19.98 19.42 18.220   ~ 520 1
57 2MASX J09101004+4813419 Sy1 09 10 10.0134721248 +48 13 41.703668508   17.31 17.05     ~ 115 0
58 4C 39.25 Bla 09 27 03.01394144 +39 02 20.8518067   17.17 17.00 16.486   ~ 1036 1
59 QSO J0949+2955 QSO 09 49 41.1069232848 +29 55 19.261130988   16.00 16.2     ~ 150 0
60 7C 095359.3+252945 Bla 09 56 49.87537985 +25 15 16.0498155   17.46 17.21 17.96   ~ 367 2
61 4C 55.17 Bla 09 57 38.1839604096 +55 22 57.754950636   18.24 17.89     ~ 459 1
62 6C 095456+654857 BLL 09 58 47.2451872176 +65 33 54.819354600     17.0 15.75   ~ 771 1
63 LEDA 29208 Sy1 10 04 20.1379926888 +05 13 00.400882728   16.73 16.55     ~ 260 1
64 4C 13.41 Sy1 10 07 26.0965408440 +12 48 56.184940764   15.81 15.68     ~ 418 2
65 LBQS 1009-0252 QSO 10 12 15.89 -03 07 03.1   18.82 18.71     ~ 75 1
66 QSO B1011+0906 QSO 10 13 41.8614876864 +08 51 26.158228128   17.8 17.7     ~ 51 0
67 2MASS J10145491+0033374 Sy1 10 14 54.9035635608 +00 33 37.366161048   20.23 18.94 16.104   ~ 169 0
68 LBQS 1029-0125 QSO 10 31 49.5211442976 -01 41 11.277813984     18.4     ~ 29 0
69 4C 06.41 BLL 10 41 17.16249940 +06 10 16.9237327   16.86 16.70 16.14   ~ 302 1
70 3C 246 Sy1 10 51 29.9161672920 -09 18 10.191977064   16.85 16.79 16.5   ~ 197 1
71 2MASX J10523275+6125211 Sy1 10 52 32.7475006344 +61 25 20.963248212   17.16 17.06     ~ 123 1
72 4C 01.28 BLL 10 58 29.60520810 +01 33 58.8237454   18.74 18.28 16.68   ~ 828 2
73 [OKM2018] SWIFT J1104.8+7689 Sy1 11 04 13.8611496720 +76 58 58.194549084   15.70 15.72 15.40   ~ 564 1
74 LEDA 34449 Sy1 11 17 06.3989076960 +44 13 33.324039480   16.32 16.12     ~ 265 1
75 QSO B1115+080A QSO 11 18 16.951 +07 45 58.23   16.61 16.44     ~ 703 2
76 QSO B1120+0154 QSO 11 23 20.7258496872 +01 37 47.506567620   16.45 16.12     ~ 135 1
77 QSO J1130-1449 Bla 11 30 07.0523452128 -14 49 27.388021944   17.17 16.90 16 16.97 ~ 739 1
78 Ton 580 Bla 11 31 09.4824534600 +31 14 05.506804464   16.22 16.05 15.8   ~ 156 1
79 2MASS J11534927+1128306 Sy1 11 53 49.2707664888 +11 28 30.403025688   16.87 16.71     ~ 133 1
80 Ton 599 Bla 11 59 31.83391383 +29 14 43.8268224   14.80 14.41 17.652 13.39 ~ 989 1
81 7C 1208+3213 Sy1 12 10 37.5729097488 +31 57 06.019112484   16.91 16.68     ~ 92 1
82 LBQS 1212+1445 QSO 12 14 40.2739153080 +14 28 59.288879460     17.9     ~ 65 0
83 PG 1216+069 Sy1 12 19 20.9318278680 +06 38 38.467059252   15.68 15.65     ~ 302 0
84 Ton 1530 QSO 12 25 27.3983971728 +22 35 13.016712084   15.49 17.00     ~ 192 0
85 Z 99-79 Sy1 12 32 03.6223710000 +20 09 29.495834136   15.57 15.30     ~ 526 0
86 LBQS 1231+1320 QSO 12 33 55.5976605936 +13 04 09.188935572   18.84 18.7     ~ 30 0
87 QSO B1232+134 QSO 12 34 58.1530523808 +13 08 54.973817196     19.5     ~ 46 0
88 LBQS 1235+0857 QSO 12 37 54.8223203520 +08 41 06.765457956     18.2     ~ 47 0
89 QSO J1246-2547 Bla 12 46 46.80203943 -25 47 49.2889822   17.65 17.41 16.96 15.5 ~ 314 1
90 BSO 1 QSO 12 48 51.8479265160 +37 30 28.312086096   17.29 16.98     WN3ha 77 0
91 QSO B1246-0542 QSO 12 49 13.8611499816 -05 59 19.059589068   17.09 16.73     ~ 173 0
92 QSO B1252+119 Bla 12 54 38.25561478 +11 41 05.8950431   16.99 16.64 16.76   ~ 284 1
93 3C 279 Bla 12 56 11.16657958 -05 47 21.5251510   18.01 17.75 15.87   ~ 3205 2
94 QSO B1254+0443 QSO 12 56 59.9234909976 +04 27 34.411850136   16.53 16.25     ~ 160 0
95 QSO B1255-316 Bla 12 57 59.06083282 -31 55 16.8516590   19.06   17.86   ~ 108 1
96 PB 3296 QSO 13 05 54.7253928672 +30 32 52.329871212   18.18       ~ 86 0
97 US 371 BLL 13 10 28.66385420 +32 20 43.7828340   15.61 15.24 17.91   ~ 917 1
98 QSO J1311-0552 QSO 13 11 36.5570912928 -05 52 38.632308600   17.85 17.44     ~ 75 0
99 QSO B1309-216 BLL 13 12 31.5548352888 -21 56 23.389976472 17.56 17.27 17.18     ~ 95 1
100 Ton 156 QSO 13 21 15.8594008584 +28 47 19.492704528   16.88 16.69     ~ 103 0
101 Ton 157 QSO 13 23 20.5544185368 +29 10 07.108804344   16.91 16.83     ~ 59 0
102 2MASS J13234951+6541480 Sy1 13 23 49.5182430360 +65 41 48.164463600   16.01 15.84     ~ 185 1
103 3C 286 Sy1 13 31 08.2883506368 +30 30 32.960091564   17.51 17.25     ~ 4558 2
104 LBQS 1331-0108 QSO 13 34 28.0613578464 -01 23 49.042287744   18.61 17.97     ~ 73 0
105 QSO B1334-127 Bla 13 37 39.78278132 -12 57 24.6933925   18.5 19.00 16.22   ~ 540 1
106 7C 134042.1+285857 Bla 13 43 00.1795834440 +28 44 07.508553540   17.54 17.07 16.5   ~ 97 1
107 4C 53.28 Bla 13 49 34.65661554 +53 41 17.0400909   17.95 17.67 17.06   ~ 151 1
108 2XMM J135315.8+634546 Sy1 13 53 15.8311116864 +63 45 45.683126676   14.54 14.28     ~ 404 1
109 2MASS J13563279+2103523 Sy1 13 56 32.7981405816 +21 03 52.378155576   15.85 17.07     ~ 104 0
110 QSO J1357-1527 Bla 13 57 11.24498272 -15 27 28.7868604   18.13   18.40   ~ 147 1
111 LEDA 50824 Sy1 14 13 48.3306274368 +44 00 14.003371296   14.99 14.99     ~ 402 0
112 QSO J1415+1129 QSO 14 15 46.25 +11 29 43.4   17.63 17.23     ~ 678 0
113 [OKM2018] SWIFT J1419.0-1323 Sy1 14 19 03.8170514760 -13 10 44.785212600   16.46 16.10 16.50   ~ 245 0
114 3C 298.0 Bla 14 19 08.1802187928 +06 28 34.802854680   17.12 16.79     ~ 422 1
115 Ton 202 Sy1 14 27 35.6076948744 +26 32 14.541190476   15.96 16.00     ~ 315 0
116 LBQS 1429-0053 QSO 14 32 29.2470168768 -01 06 16.088882724   18.10 17.88     ~ 110 0
117 LEDA 52314 Sy1 14 38 16.1630434488 -06 58 20.662907124   16.13 16.01 15.5   ~ 133 0
118 QSO J1455-1108 QSO 14 55 54.8843947488 -11 08 43.409609088   17.81 17.37     ~ 88 1
119 3C 309.1 Bla 14 59 07.58390804 +71 40 19.8668093   17.24 16.78 17.2   ~ 509 1
120 QSO B1502+1041 Bla 15 04 24.97978391 +10 29 39.1985309   18.97 18.56 18.94   ~ 634 1
121 QSO B1504-167 Bla 15 07 04.78696269 -16 52 30.2671543   18.40 18.50 17.00   ~ 237 1
122 4C -05.64 Bla 15 10 53.59142427 -05 43 07.4175000   17.44 17.21     ~ 249 1
123 QSO J1512-0906 Bla 15 12 50.53293048 -09 05 59.8297908   16.74 16.54     ~ 1409 1
124 ICRF J151443.0+365050 Sy1 15 14 43.0683049560 +36 50 50.355436776   17.11 17.01 15.83   ~ 422 1
125 QSO B1522+155 Bla 15 24 41.61148043 +15 21 21.0505149   18.59 18.46 17.9   ~ 93 1
126 QSO B1532+016 Bla 15 34 52.45368345 +01 31 04.2065145   19.0 18.5 18.58   ~ 223 2
127 PG 1538+47 Sy1 15 39 34.8103136784 +47 35 31.263874908   16.01 15.81     ~ 105 1
128 ICRF J154743.5+205216 Sy1 15 47 43.5376371336 +20 52 16.612810320   16.80 16.69 15.70   ~ 521 1
129 4C 05.64 Bla 15 50 35.26924234 +05 27 10.4483641   19.10 18.73 19.02   ~ 371 1
130 LEDA 56356 Sy1 15 54 44.5798403976 +08 22 21.412038576   16.38 16.16     ~ 132 0
131 6C 161147+342017 Bla 16 13 41.06424322 +34 12 47.9088535   17.98 17.46 17.07   ~ 673 1
132 QSO B1612+266 QSO 16 14 10.6218233160 +26 32 50.447744736   17.33 17.11     ~ 39 0
133 Mrk 877 Sy1 16 20 11.2799789400 +17 24 27.515242152   15.79 15.39     ~ 286 0
134 4C 38.41 Bla 16 35 15.49297809 +38 08 04.5005995   18.14 17.97 17.25   ~ 906 1
135 LEDA 3096499 Sy1 16 37 46.4977481160 +11 49 49.203034212   16.98 16.50     ~ 112 1
136 6C 163718+572618 Bla 16 38 13.45629995 +57 20 23.9789828     16.90 16.94   ~ 381 1
137 4C 69.21 Bla 16 42 07.84851261 +68 56 39.7563611   19.723   19.219   ~ 326 1
138 QSO B1641+399B QSO 16 43 34.8466896624 +39 53 46.431942720   19.56 19.50     ~ 43 0
139 4C 57.28 Bla 16 57 20.70895950 +57 05 53.5036669   18.59 18.28 17.4   ~ 76 1
140 4C 34.47 Bla 17 23 20.7958610952 +34 17 57.967381860   15.58 15.46     ~ 316 1
141 4C 51.37 Bla 17 40 36.97784792 +52 11 43.4073694   18.16 18.70 16.73   ~ 441 1
142 QSO J2123+0535 Bla 21 23 44.51739933 +05 35 22.0930238   18.3 20.40 19.86   ~ 320 1
143 4C -02.81 BLL 21 34 10.30958988 -01 53 17.2389056   18.6 19.00 18.87   ~ 431 1
144 4C 06.69 Bla 21 48 05.45866779 +06 57 38.6041877   16.85 16.47 15.06   ~ 703 1
145 LBQS 2154-2005 QSO 21 57 05.9237012016 -19 51 13.586648940     18.3     ~ 30 0
146 QSO B2155-152 Bla 21 58 06.28188411 -15 01 09.3284729   18.63 18.30 17.79   ~ 355 1
147 4C -03.79 Bla 22 18 52.03772044 -03 35 36.8795441   16.93 16.38 16.15   ~ 353 1
148 3C 446 BLL 22 25 47.25929101 -04 57 01.3907626   18.83 18.39 16.3   ~ 863 1
149 QSO B2225-055 QSO 22 28 30.3464915928 -05 18 54.694692252   18.45 17.70     ~ 159 0
150 QSO B2227-0848 Bla 22 29 40.08433313 -08 32 54.4355294   17.80 17.41 17.81   ~ 391 1
151 LBQS 2230+0232 QSO 22 32 35.2154152488 +02 47 55.814764596   18.387 18.038     ~ 98 0
152 4C 11.69 Bla 22 32 36.40890093 +11 43 50.9040592   17.75 17.33     ~ 1205 2
153 QSO B2240-370 QSO 22 43 46.0542456744 -36 47 04.647387120     18.0     ~ 29 0
154 QSO J2246-1206 Bla 22 46 18.23197022 -12 06 51.2775983   16.63 16.45 15.99   ~ 293 1
155 QSO B2245-328 Bla 22 48 38.68573790 -32 35 52.1881477   18.38 18.6 18.63   ~ 132 1
156 2MASX J22502534+1419519 Sy1 22 50 25.3475290512 +14 19 52.095751140   17.28 16.97 17.243   ~ 210 1
157 3C 454.3 Bla 22 53 57.7480438728 +16 08 53.561508864   16.57 16.10 15.22   ~ 3004 2
158 4C 24.61 QSO 22 54 09.34189937 +24 45 23.4229729     17.8     ~ 149 1
159 4C 11.72 BLL 22 54 10.4214226080 +11 36 38.748083760   16.02 15.82     ~ 351 1
160 QSO J2257+0243 Bla 22 57 17.56309534 +02 43 17.5116538   18.04 17.96 18.45   ~ 165 1
161 QSO B2255-2814 Bla 22 58 05.96287687 -27 58 21.2567572   17.34 16.77 17.20   ~ 397 1
162 4C 09.72 BLL 23 11 17.7546073272 +10 08 15.756513972   16.15 16.00     ~ 203 1
163 QSO B2326-477 Bla 23 29 17.7043623168 -47 30 19.113949332   16.93 16.79 16.30   ~ 208 1
164 QSO B2340-0339 Bla 23 42 56.6002743864 -03 22 26.269675248   16.53 16.02 16.28   ~ 91 1
165 QSO B2345-167 Bla 23 48 02.60851466 -16 31 12.0222546   18.00 18.41 16.86   ~ 432 1
166 4C -01.61 BLL 23 51 56.1224889360 -01 09 13.315371768   16.83 16.59     ~ 380 1
167 QSO J2354-1513 Bla 23 54 30.19517134 -15 13 11.2129982   18.49 17 18.88   ~ 128 1
168 4C 28.59 BLL 23 55 54.2853293928 +28 35 57.938867880   18.1 17.8     ~ 64 1
169 QSO B2354-117 Bla 23 57 31.19756127 -11 25 39.1768518   17.8 18.5 17.32   ~ 110 1
170 QSO B2355-534 BLL 23 57 53.26605016 -53 11 13.6895021   18.63 17.8 16.89   ~ 177 1

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