Astronomical Polarisation from the Infrared to Gamma Rays

Description

This book serves as both a primer to astronomical polarimetry and an authoritative overview of its application to various types of astronomical objects from AGN, compact stars, binary systems, stars across the HR diagram, transients, the interstellar medium and solar system bodies. It starts with an historical perspective, a discussion of polarimetric theory, instrumentation and techniques in wave bands from the near infrared to gamma rays. The book presents the state of the art in astronomical polarimetry. It is motivated by the new X-ray polarimeters due to be launched in the next four years and improved optical polarimeters on large telescopes requiring a new analysis of polarimetric theory, methodology and results.This book will be suitable as advanced undergraduate companion text, a primer for graduate students and all researchers with an interest in astronomical polarimetry. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxi When Polarimetry Made History (Sascha Trippe)....Pages 1-12 Introduction to Polarisation and Polarimetry (Fiona Kenny)....Pages 13-32 Optical Polarimetry: Methods, Instruments and Calibration Techniques (Andrei Berdyugin, Vilppu Piirola, Juri Poutanen)....Pages 33-65 X-Ray Polarimetry (Instrument/Techniques/Calibration) (Paolo Soffitta, Enrico Costa)....Pages 67-108 Gamma-Ray Polarimetry (Vincent Tatischeff, Mark L. McConnell, Philippe Laurent)....Pages 109-146 Polarimetric Observations of the Sun (David Orozco Suárez)....Pages 147-172 Spectropolarimetry of Stars Across the H-R Diagram (Swetlana Hubrig, Markus Schöller)....Pages 173-195 Dust Polarisation in the Interstellar Medium (Ralf Siebenmorgen, Christian Peest)....Pages 197-221 Optical Polarimetry of Small Solar System Bodies: From Asteroids to Debris Disks (Irina Belskaya, Alberto Cellino, Anny-Chantal Levasseur-Regourd, Stefano Bagnulo)....Pages 223-246 Polarimetry of Binary Systems: Polars, Magnetic CVs, XRBs (Tariq Shahbaz)....Pages 247-276 Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry of Isolated Pulsars (Alice K. Harding)....Pages 277-299 Polarimetry of Magnetars and Isolated Neutron Stars (Ilaria Caiazzo, Jeremy Heyl, Roberto Turolla)....Pages 301-336 Magnetic Fields in Gamma-Ray Bursts and Their Polarised Emission (Shiho Kobayashi)....Pages 337-361 The Panchromatic Polarisation Signatures of Active Galactic Nuclei (Frédéric Marin)....Pages 363-389 Back Matter ....Pages 391-393