Optical polarimetry of the Crab Nebula

Research output: Chapter in Book or Conference Publication/ProceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Time-resolved polarisation measurements of pulsars provide an unique insight into the geometry of the emission regions. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) polarisation data of the Crab Nebula were obtained from the Multimission Archive at STScI (MAST). The data are composed of a series of observations of the Crab Nebula with the HST and ACS camera system taken in three different polarisation filters (0°, 60° and 120°) between 2003 August and 2005 December. Polarisation vector maps of the Nebula were produced with the polarimetry software IMPOL. The degree of polarisation (P.D.) and the position angle (P.A.) of the pulsar's integrated pulse beam were measured, and also that of the nearby Synchrotron Knot, yielding P.D. = 4.90 ± 0.33 %, P.A. = 106°.46 ± 1°.9 for the pulsar, and P.D. = 61.70 ± 0.72 %, P.A. = 126°.86 ± 0°.23 for the Synchrotron Knot. These results are consistent with those of obtained by others using INTEGRAL.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNew Horizons in Time-Domain Astronomy
EditorsElizabeth Griffin, Robert J. Hanisch, Robert L. Seaman
Pages379-381
Number of pages3
EditionS285
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2011

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Astronomical Union
NumberS285
Volume7
ISSN (Print)1743-9213
ISSN (Electronic)1743-9221

Keywords

  • Crab Nebula
  • Polarimetry
  • Pulsar

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Optical polarimetry of the Crab Nebula'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this