VLBI Polarimetry of 177 Sources from the Caltech–Jodrell Bank Flat‐Spectrum Survey

We present Very Long Baseline Array observations and a statistical analysis of 5 GHz VLBI polarimetry data from 177 sources in the Caltech-Jodrell Bank Flat-Spectrum (CJF) survey. The CJF survey, a complete, flux density-limited sample of 293 extragalactic radio sources, gives us the unique opportunity to compare a broad range of source properties for quasars, galaxies, and BL Lacertae objects. We focus primarily on jet properties, specifically, the correlation between the jet axis angle and the polarization angle in the core and jet. A strong correlation is found for the electric vector polarization angle in the cores of quasars to be perpendicular to the jet axis. Contrary to previous claims, no correlation is found between the jet polarization angle and the jet axis in either quasars or BL Lac objects. With this large, homogeneous sample we are also able to investigate cosmological issues and active galactic nucleus evolution.