1999ApJ...515L..61B

Optical spectropolarimetry of the nucleus of the LINER NGC 1052 obtained at the Keck Observatory reveals a rise in polarization in the wings of the Hα line profile. The polarization vector of Hα is offset by 67° from the parsec-scale radio axis and by 83° from the kiloparsec-scale radio axis, roughly in accord with expectations for scattering within the opening cone of an obscuring torus. The broad component of Hα has FWHM~2100 km.s^–1 in total flux and FWHM~5000 km.s^–1 in polarized light. Scattering by electrons is the mechanism most likely responsible for this broadening, and we find T_e~10⁵ K for the scattering medium, similar to values observed in Seyfert 2 nuclei. This is the first detection of a polarized broad emission line in a LINER, demonstrating that unified models of active galactic nuclei are applicable to at least some LINERs.