Year: 1998
Type: article
Abstract: Different ray paths through a turbulent plasma can produce stochastic Faraday rotation leading to depolarization of any linearly polarized component. Simple theory predicts that the average values of the Stokes parameters decay according to ⟨ Q ⟩ and ⟨ U ⟩ ∝ exp (-δ l ), with δ l ∝ λ 4 . It is pointed out that a definitive test for such depolarization is provided by the fact that ⟨ Q 2 + U 2 ⟩ remains constant while ⟨ Q ⟩ 2 + ⟨ U ⟩ 2 decreases ∝exp (-2δ l ). The averages to which this effect, called polarization covariance, should apply are discussed; it should apply to spatial averages over a polarization map or temporal averages over a data set, but not to beamwidth and bandwidth averages that are intrinsic to the observation process. Observations of depolarization would provide statistical information on fluctuations in the turbulent plasma along the line of sight, specifically, the variance of the rotation measure. Other effects that can also cause depolarization are discussed. Favorable data sets to which the test could be applied are spatial averages over polarization maps of the lobes of radio galaxies and temporal averages for the binary pulsar PSR B1259-63 as it goes into and comes out of eclipse by the wind of its companion.
Source: The Astrophysical Journal
DOI: 10.1086/306204
Authors: D. B. Melrose, J.‐P. Macquart
Institution: The University of Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2055180970