Integrated polarization properties of 3C48, 3C138, 3C147, and 3C286

摘要

We present the integrated polarization properties of the four compact radio sources 3C48, 3C138, 3C147, and 3C286, from 1 to 50 GHz, over a 30 yr time frame spanning 1982-2012. Using the polarized emission of Mars, we have determined that the position angle of the linearly polarized emission of 3C286 rises from 33°at 8 GHz to 36°at 45 GHz. There is no evidence for a change in the position angle over time. Using these values, the position angles of the integrated polarized emission from the other three sources are determined as a function of frequency and time. The fractional polarization of 3C286 is found to be slowly rising, at all frequencies, at a rate of ～0.015% y~r -1. The fractional polarizations of 3C48, 3C138, and 3C147 are all slowly variable, with the variations correlated with changes in the total flux densities of these sources.