ANISOTROPIC [OIII] EMISSION IN RADIO-LOUD AGN

We present the results of spectropolarimetry of a sample of 7 powerful radio galaxies and 2 quasars with 0.07 < z < 0.35 obtained to detect possible anisotropies in the [OIII] line emission, which could explain the higher [OIII] luminosity of quasars than that of radio galaxies w ithin the framework of the Unified Model of radio-loud AGN. We detect polarized [OIII] in 4 radio galaxies, consistent with the possibility that a considerable fraction (similar to 20%) of the observed [OIII] e mission is scattered in a similar way to the hidden nuclear continuum. However, small but detectable rotation between the polarization direc tion of the line and of the continuum in two radio galaxies shows that the geometry of the emitting regions can be different.