Optical polarization of the crab-like supernova remnant 0540-693 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/168524· OSTI ID:6807125

Chanan, G A; Helfand, D J ^[1]

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1. California Univ., Irvine (USA) Columbia Univ., New York (USA)

The linear optical (V band) polarization in the nebula surrounding the LMC pulsar 0540 - 693 is measured, producing a positive result (integrated over the nebula) of P = 5.6 + or - 1.0 percent, oriented at an angle 79 + or - 5 deg east of north. The technique corrects for but does not determine the interstellar polarization, which may be of order 2 percent. This result is similar to the integrated optical polarization of the Crab Nebula and is strong confirmation of a synchrotron origin for the 0540 nebular emission. 12 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6807125
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 352; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
POLARIZATION
CRAB NEBULA
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EMISSION SPECTRA
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
PULSARS
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FUNCTIONS
GALAXIES
NEBULAE
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources