Submillimeter Polarization of Galactic Clouds: A Comparison of 350 μm and 850 μm Data
Abstract
The Hertz and SCUBA polarimeters, working at 350 μm and 850 μm, respectively, have measured the polarized emission in scores of Galactic clouds. Of the clouds in each data set, 17 were mapped by both instruments with good polarization signal-to-noise ratios. We present maps of each of these 17 clouds comparing the dual-wavelength polarization amplitudes and position angles at the same spatial locations. In total number of clouds compared, this is a four-fold increase over previous work. Across the entire data set real position angle differences are seen between wavelengths. While the distribution of phi(850)-phi(350) is centered near zero (near-equal angles), 64% of data points with high polarization signal-to-noise (P >= 3σ p ) have |phi(850)-phi(350)| > 10°. Of those data with small changes in position angle (<=10°) the median ratio of the polarization amplitudes is P(850)/P(350) = 1.7 ± 0.6. This value is consistent with previous work performed on smaller samples and models that require mixtures of different grain properties and polarization efficiencies. Along with the polarization data we have also compiled the intensity data at both wavelengths; we find a trend of decreasing polarization with increasing 850-to-350 μm intensity ratio. All the polarization and intensity data presented here (1699 points in total) are available in electronic format.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
- Pub Date:
- August 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0067-0049/201/2/13
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1204.1378
- Bibcode:
- 2012ApJS..201...13V
- Keywords:
-
- dust;
- extinction;
- ISM: clouds;
- polarization;
- submillimeter: ISM;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 50 pages, 26 figures, one electronic data file. Submitted to ApJS