Interstellar Polarization in the Southern Milky way.

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (36) References (27) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Interstellar Polarization in the Southern Milky way. van Smith, Elske P. Abstract Polarization observations are reported for over two hundred stars in the southern Milky Way between longitudes 200 and 350 . Analysis of these and other data for the north seems to confirm the model of a polarizing medium where the elongated particles are aligned perpendicular to the spiral-arm axis. Light from stars in the Sagittarius or Perseus arms appears to acquire most of its polarization from dust clouds lying in the Orion arm. The amount of polarization per unit extinction is lower in the southern Milky Way than in the northern Although the possibility of a difference in the optical properties of the grains is not ruled out, an alternative hypothesis seems preferable. We suggest that the particles are more rigidly aligned in the center of the spiral arm, through which the line of sight passes when we look northward, than at the periphery of the arm. Finally, we discuss in some detail individual regions in the southern Milky Way, including Vela, Carina, the Coal Sack in Crux, and Scorpius The Scorpius region, in particular, shows that local structure may considerably distort the general effect Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: July 1956 DOI: 10.1086/146202 Bibcode: 1956ApJ...124...43V full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (228)