Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Galaxy Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2012-03-16
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Galaxy Astrophysics
Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Scientific paper
We compiled the polarimetric data for a sample of lines of sight with known abundances of Mg, Si, and Fe. We correlated the degree of interstellar polarization $P$ and polarization efficiency (the ratio of $P$ to the colour excess $E(B-V)$ or extinction $A_V$) with dust phase abundances. We detect an anticorrelation between $P$ and the dust phase abundance of iron in non silicate - containing grains $< [\rm Fe(rest)/H > ]_\rm d$, a correlation between $P$ and the abundance of Si, and no correlation between $P/E(B-V)$ or $P/A_V$ and dust phase abundances. These findings can be explained if mainly the silicate grains aligned by the radiative mechanism are responsible for the observed interstellar linear polarization.
Das Hillol K.
Henning Th
Prokopjeva M. S.
Voshchinnikov Nikolai V.
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