LINEAR POLARIZATION OF THE CENTIMETER RADIATION OF DISCRETE SOURCES
Journal Article
·
· Astrophysical Journal (U.S.)
A series of observations made to determine the linear polarization of the radiation of the intense discrete sources at several wavelengths between 3.15 and 11.5 cm is presented. The radiation of the Crab Nebula and of the radio galaxies Cygnus A and Centaurus A was found to be partially linearly polarized, and the wavelength dependence of the polarization was investigated. The radiation of the galactic source Cassiopeia A and the radio galaxy Virgo A, on the other hand, shows little evidence of linear polarization. Negative results were also found for the Orion and Omega emission nebulae and for Sagittarius A. The observations of the Crab Nebula at a number of wavelengths show a decrease in the degree of polarization from 7 to 2.6% between 3.15 and 11.5 cm, and indicate a small Faraday rotation of the plane of polarization with an extrapolated position angle at zero wavelength of 146 deg . The observed degree of polarization of Cygnus A was found to decrease rapidly with increasing wavelength, from 7.5% at 3.15 cm to 0.5% at 9.45 cm. The degree of polarization of Centaurus A is 13.5% at 3.15 cm and 7.2% at 9.45 cm, and the observed orientations of the plane of polarization are consistent with longer wavelength results of other observers in indicating a small Faraday rotation with an extrapolated position angle at zero wavelength of 147 deg . (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Naval Research Lab., Washington, D.C.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-010745
- OSTI ID:
- 4082630
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal (U.S.), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 139; ISSN ASJOA
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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