Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T16:35:06.963Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Color Dependence of Interstellar Polarization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2017

Alfred Behr
Alfred Behr*
Affiliation:
Göttingen University Observatory, Göttingen, Germany

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Measurements of the Interstellar Polarization of Starlight at different wavelengths have been reported by several observers in references 1 to 8. With a few exceptions the wavelength range of the measurements is still relatively small, and up to now only a few dozens of stars have been measured with high precision. There is still a remarkable discrepancy between the results of different observers, as can be seen in figure 1. The scattering of the individual values is significantly larger than the probable error given by the respective authors. One of the most serious error sources seems to be the instrumental polarization which itself is highly color dependent. (See ref. 9.)

Nevertheless, even if a much greater individual error is assumed, a remarkable conclusion can be drawn: the wavelength dependence of polarization is not the same for all stars.

Type
Research Article
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 7: Proper Motions , August 1965 , pp. 45 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer Academic Publishers 1965

References

1. Behr, A.: Beobachtungen zur Wellenlängenabhängigkeit der Interstellaren Polarisation. Zs. Astrophys., vol. 47, 1959, p. 54.Google Scholar
2. Gehrels, T.: The Wavelength Dependence of Polarization II. Interstellar Polarization. Astron. J., vol. 65, 1960, p. 470.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Hiltner, W. A.: On Polarization of Radiation by Interstellar Medium. Phys. Rev., vol. 78, 1950, p. 170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Hiltner, W. A.: Photoelectric, Polarization, and Spectrographic Observations of O and B Stars. Astrophys. J., Suppl. Ser., vol. 2, 1956, p. 389.10.1086/190029CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Schmahl, G.: Die Wellenlängenabhängigkeit der Interstellaren Polarisation in der Umgebung der Assoziation VI Cygni. Zs. Astrophys., vol. 58, 1964, p. 165.Google Scholar
6. Serkowski, K.: Polarization of Galactic Clusters M25, NGC 869, 884, 1893, 2422, 6823, 6871, and Association VI Cygni. Astrophys. J., vol. 141, 1965, p. 1340.10.1086/148222CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Treanor, P. J.: Wavelength Dependence of Interstellar Polarization. Astron. J., vol. 68, 1963, p. 185.10.1086/108936CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Van Den Bergh, S.: Polarisation des Sternlichtes im Gebiet der Plejaden. Zs. Astrophys., vol. 40, 1956, p. 249.Google Scholar
9. Behr, A.: On Some Improvement in the Polarization Technique. Lowell Obs. Bull., vol. 4, 1960, p. 292.Google Scholar
10. Davis, L.; and Greenstein, J. L.: Polarization of Starlight by Aligned Dust Grains. Astrophys. J., vol. 114, 1951, p. 206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Davis, L.: The Color Dependence of the Polarization of Starlight. Zs. Astrophys., vol. 47, 1959, p. 59.Google Scholar
12. Greenberg, J. M.; and Meltzer, A. S.: The Effect of Orientation of Non-Spherical Particles on Interstellar Extinction. Astrophys. J., vol. 132, 1960, p. 667.Google Scholar
13. Johnson, H. L.; and Borgman, J.: The Law of Interstellar Extinction. Bull. Astron. Inst. Netherlands, vol. 17, 1963, p. 115.Google Scholar
14. Johnson, H. L.: Interstellar Extinction in the Galaxy. Astrophys. J., vol. 141, 1965, p. 923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar