INTRACLUSTER DUST POLARIZATION IN THE CARINA NEBULA

We have obtained new UBVRI polarimetric observations of 25 stars and BV polarimetric observations of 60 stars which are embedded in the Carina Nebula. Using these data and photometric data from the literature we have modeled and subtracted the foreground dust contribution in the color excess E(B-V) and the visual polarization. The resulting intracluster dust component is found to have a polarization efficiency less than the maximum observed for the interstellar medium. The intracluster dust is also characterized by a ratio of E(V-K)/E(B-V) to lambda(max) higher than the canonical value for the interstellar medium. This result is consistent with the anomalous extinction for this region, reported by Tapia et al [MNRAS, 232, 661 (1988a)], which increases above normal values color excess ratios that are normalized at wavelengths shorter than the V band.