Rapid Polarized Emission Variability of Blazar S5 0716+714 in Optical Range

Abstract

© 2020, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. Abstract—: The results of polarimetric observations of blazar S5 0716+714, carried out with the 6-meter BTA telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, are presented. The polarized emission microvariability of blazar S5 0716+714 was observed in the R band with an initial time resolution of 3–5 seconds. Exposures were integrated at 1-minute intervals with a total observation time of several hours over two nights. Microvariability of the polarization degree with amplitude of 3–4% was detected during 7–11 minutes and flux oscillations within 9–10% during 25 minutes. A partial synchronism of the flux oscillations and the polarization degree of this blazar was found. Possible interpretations of the detected microvariability are briefly described.