Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Sep 1983
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1983apj...272..551a&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 272, Sept. 15, 1983, p. 551-562. Research supported by the Nederlandse Orga
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
37
Interstellar Matter, Linear Polarization, Polarization (Spin Alignment), Coagulation, Cosmic Dust, Interstellar Extinction, Particle Size Distribution
Scientific paper
It is suggested that the accretion of mantles on grains with an initial power-law size distribution is the most likely cause of the observed correlation between the width of the normalized linear polarization curve and the wavelength of maximum polarization lambda(max). Calculations which assume Purcell's (1971) suprathermal alignment mechanism with the 'rocket' lifetime determined by monolayer accretion time scale lead to an initial, steep width decrease with increasing lambda (max), an increase in width with intermediate values of lambda(max), and a decrease in width for the largest values of lambda(max). The Davis-Greenstein (1951) thermal alignment mechanism cannot account for the observed correlation at large values of lambda(max). Attention is also given to the effect of subsonic turbulent coagulation on a power-law size distribution of grains, and it is found that the predicted correlation between width and lambda(max) does not agree with observations.
Aannestad Per A.
Greenberg Mayo J.
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