OPTICAL POLARIZATION OF THE CRAB-LIKE SUPERNOVA REMNANT 0540-693 IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

被引:21
作者
CHANAN, GA [1 ]
HELFAND, DJ [1 ]
机构
[1] COLUMBIA UNIV,NEW YORK,NY 10027
关键词
Galaxies: Magellanic Clouds; Nebulae: Crab nebula; Nebulae: Individual (0540-693); Nebulae: Supernova remnants; Polarization; Radiation mechanisms;
D O I
10.1086/168524
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We have measured the linear optical (V band) polarization in the nebula surrounding the Large Magellanic Cloud pulsar 0540-693 and find a positive result (integrated over the nebula) of P = 5.6% ± 1.0%, oriented at an angle 79° ± 5° east of north. Our technique corrects for but does not determine the interstellar polarization, which may be of order 2%. 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.
引用
收藏
页码:167 / 171
页数:5
相关论文
共 12 条
[1]  
[Anonymous], 1976, ASTROPHYSICAL QUANTI
[2]  
[Anonymous], 1956, ASTROPHYS J SUPPL S
[3]   AN OPTICAL SYNCHROTRON NEBULA AROUND THE X-RAY PULSAR 0540-693 IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD [J].
CHANAN, GA ;
HELFAND, DJ ;
REYNOLDS, SP .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1984, 287 (01) :L23-&
[4]   THE PENULTIMATE SUPERNOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD - SNR-0540-69.3 [J].
KIRSHNER, RP ;
MORSE, JA ;
WINKLER, PF ;
BLAIR, WP .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1989, 342 (01) :260-+
[5]   OPTICAL COLOR, POLARIMETRIC, AND TIMING MEASUREMENTS OF THE 50-MS LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD PULSAR, PSR 0540-69 [J].
MIDDLEDITCH, J ;
PENNYPACKER, CR ;
BURNS, MS .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1987, 315 (01) :142-148
[6]  
OORT JH, 1956, B ASTRON I NETH, V12, P285
[7]  
Rybicki G. B., 1986, RAD PROCESSES ASTROP
[8]   THE NATURE OF R136A, THE SUPERLUMINOUS CENTRAL OBJECT OF THE 30-DORADUS NEBULA [J].
SAVAGE, BD ;
FITZPATRICK, EL ;
CASSINELLI, JP ;
EBBETS, DC .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1983, 273 (02) :597-623
[9]   DISCOVERY OF A 50 MILLISECOND PULSAR IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD [J].
SEWARD, FD ;
HARNDEN, FR ;
HELFAND, DJ .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1984, 287 (01) :L19-L22
[10]  
TRIMBLE V, 1971, IAU S, V46, P3