Invited Presentation
Multiwavelength Imaging and Polarimetry of the M87 Jet
Presenter: Eric Perlman (Florida Institute of Technology)
Because of its proximity and high surface brightness, observations of the M87 jet allow us the opportunity to gain unprecedented insight into issues like jet structure, multiwaveband spectra, and emission mechanisms. Multiwavelength imaging and polarimetry can give us clues to the locations of the radiating particles in each band, as well as their kinematics and the jet's structure. I discuss a variety of new observations that reveal details of the M87 jet's energetic structure and physics with unprecedented clarity. These include HST and VLA polarimetry observations that have angular resolution <0.1", about a factor 2-3 better than previous observations. These observations reveal new details concerning the magnetic field configurations of several knots in the M87 jet. I also review the utility of polarization observations for other jets, particularly when used in concert with X-ray imaging and spectroscopy -- particularly for FR II jets, where we now see that models for the X-ray emission mechanism that are based on Comptonization of CMB photons are failing critical tests
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