Optical polarization as a probe of the local interstellar medium

Details Optical polarization as a probe of the local interstellar medium Optical polarization as a probe of the local interstellar medium

Nov 1984

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1984nascp2345..145t&link_type=abstract

In NASA. Goddard Space Flight Center Local Interstellar Medium, No. 81 p 145-148 (SEE N85-15539 06-90)

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Interstellar Matter, Optical Properties, Polarimetry, Polarization (Waves), Cosmic Dust, Errors, Magnetic Fields, Photons, Requirements, Stars

Scientific paper

The use of interstellar polarization as a measurement tool for dust or magnetic field presents practical difficulties (dust and magnetic field configurations inextricably mixed up; limited number of suitable stars). The precision with which polarimetry can nowadays be performed at a number of observatories is about 1×10-4. The most immediate (<30 pc) local region may be thought of as mostly intercloud medium. The precision quoted above corresponds to a distance of 40 pc. It is therefore unrealistic to expect to use polarimetry to see detailed structure in this intercloud medium. At larger distances the precision quoted corresponds to perhaps 5 pc, so that more spatial detail may be seen. This detail should, however, be interpreted in terms of cloud statistics, rather than a continuous medium.

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