Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2004-03-10
Astron.Astrophys. 423 (2004) 495-500
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted for publication in A&A
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20035649
The accretion column in magnetic Cataclysmic Variables may have a not negligible Thomson optical depth. A fraction of the thermal radiation from the post-shock region may therefore be scattered - and then polarized - before escaping the column. Moreover, part of the thermal radiation is reflected - and again polarized - by the White Dwarf surface. We show that X-ray polarimetry can provide valuable, and probably unique informations on the geometry and physical parameters of the accretion column by calculating, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, the expected polarization properties of magnetic CVs as a function of the geometrical parameters (assuming a cylindrical geometry) and the Thomson optical depth of the column. We find that degrees of polarization as high as about 4% can be present, and apply our calculations to the archetypal magnetic CV, AM Herculis.
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