IXPE and Multiwavelength Observations of Blazar PG 1553+113 Reveal an Orphan Optical Polarization Swing
Authors: Middei Riccardo , Perri Matteo , Puccetti Simonetta , Liodakis Ioannis , Di Gesu Laura , Marscher Alan P. , Cavero Nicole Rodriguez , Tavecchio Fabrizio , Donnarumma Immacolata , Laurenti Marco , Jorstad Svetlana G. , Agudo Iván , Marshall Herman L. , Pacciani Luigi , Kim Dawoon E. , Aceituno Francisco José , Bonnoli Giacomo , Casanova Víctor , Agís-González Beatriz , Sota Alfredo , Casadio Carolina , Escudero Juan , Myserlis Ioannis , Sievers Albrecht , Kouch Pouya M. , Lindfors Elina , Gurwell Mark , Keating Garrett K. , Rao Ramprasad , Kang Sincheol , Lee Sang-Sung , Kim Sang-Hyun , Cheong Whee Yeon , Jeong Hyeon-Woo , Angelakis Emmanouil , Kraus Alexander , Antonelli Lucio A. , Bachetti Matteo , Baldini Luca , Baumgartner Wayne H. , Bellazzini Ronaldo , Bianchi Stefano , Bongiorno Stephen D. , Bonino Raffaella , Brez Alessandro , Bucciantini Niccolò , Capitanio Fiamma , Castellano Simone , Cavazzuti Elisabetta , Chen Chien-Ting , Ciprini Stefano , Costa Enrico , De Rosa Alessandra , Del Monte Ettore , Di Lalla Niccolò , Di Marco Alessandro , Doroshenko Victor , Dovčiak Michal , Ehlert Steven R. , Enoto Teruaki , Evangelista Yuri , Fabiani Sergio , Ferrazzoli Riccardo , García Javier A. , Gunji Shuichi , Hayashida Kiyoshi , Heyl Jeremy , Iwakiri Wataru , Kaaret Philip , Karas Vladimir , Kislat Fabian , Kitaguchi Takao , Kolodziejczak Jeffery J. , Krawczynski Henric , La Monaca Fabio , Latronico Luca , Maldera Simone , Manfreda Alberto , Marin Frédéric , Marinucci Andrea , Massaro Francesco , Matt Giorgio , Mitsuishi Ikuyuki , Mizuno Tsunefumi , Muleri Fabio , Negro Michela , Ng Chi-Yung , O’Dell Stephen L. , Omodei Nicola , Oppedisano Chiara , Papitto Alessandro , Pavlov George G. , Peirson Abel L. , Pesce-Rollins Melissa , Petrucci Pierre-Olivier , Pilia Maura , Possenti Andrea , Poutanen Juri , Ramsey Brian D. , Rankin John , Ratheesh Ajay , Roberts Oliver J. , Romani Roger W. , Sgrò Carmelo , Slane Patrick , Soffitta Paolo , Spandre Gloria , Swartz Douglas A. , Tamagawa Toru , Taverna Roberto , Tawara Yuzuru , Tennant Allyn F. , Thomas Nicholas E. , Tombesi Francesco , Trois Alessio , Tsygankov Sergey S. , Turolla Roberto , Vink Jacco , Weisskopf Martin C. , Wu Kinwah , Xie Fei , Zane Silvia 
Published: August 2023

The lower-energy peak of the spectral energy distribution of blazars has commonly been ascribed to synchrotron radiation from relativistic particles in the jets. Despite the consensus regarding jet emission processes, the particle acceleration mechanism is still debated. Here, we present the first X-ray polarization observations of PG 1553+113, a high-synchrotron-peak blazar observed by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). We detect an X-ray polarization degree of (10 ± 2)% along an electric-vector position angle of ψ
X = 86° ± 8°. At the same time, the radio and optical polarization degrees are lower by a factor of ∼3. During our IXPE pointing, we observed the first orphan optical polarization swing of the IXPE era, as the optical angle of PG 1553+113 underwent a smooth monotonic rotation by about 125°, with a rate of ∼17° day–1. We do not find evidence of a similar rotation in either radio or X-rays, which suggests that the X-ray and optically emitting regions are separate or, at most, partially cospatial. Our spectropolarimetric results provide further evidence that the steady-state X-ray emission in blazars originates in a shock-accelerated and energy-stratified electron population.