Intracluster dust, circumstellar shells, and the wavelength dependence of polarization in Orion

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (33) References (24) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Intracluster dust, circumstellar shells, and the wavelength dependence of polarization in Orion. Breger, M. Abstract The wavelength dependence of polarization of 21 polarized stars near the Orion Nebula has been measured. Most stars fit the standard interstellar law. The wavelength of maximum linear polarization, Amax, ranges from normal values to 0.71 m. The polarimetric, spectroscopic, and photometric data support a normal reddening law (R 3) for most Orion stars, and present evidence for unusually large grain sizes in front of some Orion stars. For the stars BR 545 and BR 885 large values of Amax are associated with unusually large values of total to selective extinction. A division of the observed polarization into intracluster dust and circumstellar shell components shows that the presence of shells does not usually lead to linear polarization in the optical wavelength region. Also, no association of polarization with known light variability could be found. The nature of the intracluster dust clouds is discussed briefly. The results of searches for circular polarization as well as short-period variability are presented in two appendices. Subject headings: interstellar: matter - nebulae: Orion Nebula - polarization - stars: circumstellar shells Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: July 1977 DOI: 10.1086/155339 Bibcode: 1977ApJ...215..119B Keywords: Cosmic Dust; Interstellar Matter; Nebulae; Polarimetry; Polarization (Waves); Stellar Envelopes; Circular Polarization; Interstellar Extinction; Wavelengths; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (37)