Complete samples of radio-selected BL Lac objects
Creators
- 1. Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA)
- 2. Max-Plank-Institut fuer Astronomie, Heidelberg (Germany, F.R.)
Description
A uniform sample of 43 BL Lacertae objects selected from two flux-limited radio surveys is presented. From confirming optical polarimetric observations, it is clear that the combination of a flat high-frequency radio spectrum (11-6 cm) and featureless optical continuum are very effective at isolating classical BL Lacs, with 95 percent of sources satisfying these criteria also proving to be strongly polarized on at least one occasion. Variability is also a general characteristic of the sample, with a typical radio-selected BL Lac spending 60 percent of the time in a state of high polarization (P greater than 3 percent). The completeness of this sample of BL Lac objects and the relationship between the radio-selected nuclei and their more docile X-ray-selected counterparts are discussed. 26 refs
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Astronomical Journal
- Journal Volume
- 99
- Series
- Astron. J.
- Journal Page Range
- 1-6
- ISSN
- 0004-6256
- CODEN
- ANJOA
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 22001055
- Subject category
- S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
- Descriptors DEI
- BL LACERTAE OBJECTS; CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES; COSMIC RADIO SOURCES; INDEXES; MAGELLANIC CLOUDS; MILKY WAY; POLARIMETERS; POLARIZATION; RADIOWAVE RADIATION; STATISTICS; VARIATIONS; VISIBLE RADIATION; X RADIATION
- Descriptors DEC
- COSMIC RAY SOURCES; COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES; DOCUMENT TYPES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; GALAXIES; IONIZING RADIATIONS; MATHEMATICS; RADIATIONS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES