Understanding Active Galactic Nuclei using near-infrared high angular resolution polarimetry II: Preliminary results

TL;DR

This study models the polarization of a prototypical AGN using near-infrared high-resolution polarimetry, comparing simulations with observations to understand the polarization characteristics of the torus.

Contribution

It introduces high-resolution infrared polarization modeling of AGN with Monte Carlo codes and compares results with recent observations, highlighting areas for model improvement.

Findings

Good agreement between models and observations

Models cannot yet explain the polarization angle of the torus

Further modeling needed to include additional physical phenomena

Abstract

In this second research note of a series of two, we present the first near-infrared results we obtained when modeling Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Our first proceedings showed the comparison between the MontAGN and STOKES Monte Carlo codes. Now we use our radiative transfer codes to simulate the polarization maps of a prototypical, NGC 1068-like, type-2 radio-quiet AGN. We produced high angular resolution infrared (1 micron) polarization images to be compared with recent observations in this wavelength range. Our preliminary results already show a good agreement between the models and observations but cannot account for the peculiar linear polarization angle of the torus such as observed. Gratadour et al. 2015 found a polarization position angle being perpendicular to the bipolar outflows axis. Further work is needed to improve the models by adding physical phenomena such as dichroism and clumpiness.