The Effect of Magnetic Field Spread and Temperature and Density Variations in Cyclotron Emission Regions

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. T. Wickramasinghe ◽  
Lilia Ferrario
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Point Source ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
White Dwarfs ◽  
Type Systems ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Cyclotron Radiation ◽  
Cyclotron Emission ◽  
Source Models ◽  
Accretion Shocks

AbstractWe discuss the properties of cyclotron radiation from accretion shocks located above the atmospheres of magnetic white dwarfs taking into account the effects of field spread and density and temparture structure. The models which are an improvement on previous point source models are shown to have characteristics that are in better overall agreement with the properties of AM Herculis type systems. Our calculations of the polarization properties of large polar cap emission regions are used to discuss the recent null measurements of circular polarization in DQ Herculis type systems.

scholarly journals An Emission Line in the Hard X-Ray Spectrum of Hercules X-1: Quantized Cyclotron Emission from the Neutron Star

1977 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 34-34
Author(s):  
W. Pietsch ◽  
C. Reppin ◽  
R. Staubert ◽  
J. Truemper ◽  
W. Voges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Second Harmonic ◽  
Narrow Line ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Emission ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Astrophysical Application ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cyclotron Emission

A four hour balloon observation of HERC X-l during the 'On-state' in the 35 day cycle was performed on May 3rd, 1976. The 1.24 second pulsations show a pulsed fraction of 58 ± 8% in the 18-31 KeV interval. A pulsed flux (1.24 sec) was discovered in the 31-88 KeV interval with a pulsed fraction of 51 ± 14%. The spectrum of the pulsed flux can be represented up to 50 KeV by an exponential distribution with KT approximately 8 KeV. At approximately 58 KeV a strong and narrow line feature occurs which we interpret as electron cyclotron emission (ΔN = 1 Landau transition) from the polar cap plasma of the rotating neutron star. The corresponding magnetic field strength is approximately 5 x 1012 Gauss, neglecting gravitational red shift. There is evidence for a second harmonic at approximately 110 KeV (ΔN = 2 ).The astrophysical application of this discovery will be discussed in some detail.

scholarly journals Strong Magnetic Fields in Nova Systems

1990 ◽  
Vol 122 ◽  
pp. 47-47
Author(s):  
H.S. Stockman ◽  
G.D. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Magnetic Moment ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
Strong Magnetic Fields ◽  
General Picture ◽  
Cyclotron Emission ◽  
Accretion Shock ◽  
Independent Confirmation

The discovery of variable circular polarization in V1500 Cygni (the remnant of Nova Cygni 1975) is the strongest evidence for the presence of highly magnetic white dwarfs in nova systems. If interpreted in terms of diluted cyclotron emission from a hot accretion shock, the recent observations of Schmidt and Stockman (1990 preprint, Ap. J. 1991) of the color dependence of the circular polarization can provide a empirical lower-limit to the primary’s magnetic field strength of B > 25 × 106 gauss. Such a field strength is comparable to those observed in other magnetic variables, thus providing support for the general picture of the current and pre-nova system and the explanation for the observed search-light and period changes following the eruption. Schmidt and Stockman have also measured lengthening of the polarimetric period indicating that the system will be resynchronized within a few centuries and well before the next nova eruption. This is an independent confirmation of a significant magnetic moment for the white dwarf primary.

Application of the Dipole Model to Selected Magnetic White Dwarfs

1989 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Achilleos ◽  
D. T. Wickramasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Observational Data ◽  
White Dwarfs ◽  
Zeeman Splitting ◽  
Polarization Data ◽  
Detailed Model ◽  
Field Geometry ◽  
Hydrogen Lines ◽  
The Magnetic Field

AbstractVarious authors have reported observations of the flux and circular polarization for the three stars PG 1658 + 441, PG 1533 − 057 and K 813 − 14. On the basis of the observational data, the stars were classified as magnetic white dwarfs. To place constraints on the magnetic field strengths and geometries of these stars, the relevant authors qualitatively compared the data with available theory and, in two cases, used a model of optically thin hydrogen threaded by a magnetic field.In this paper we use a more detailed model for magnetic white dwarfs to assess the results previously obtained for these three stars. We find that, in two cases, the observed spectra can be explained by the Zeeman splitting of hydrogen lines in a stellar magnetic field which takes the form of a dipole situated at the centre of the star. The circular polarization data for PG 1658 + 441, however, may indicate a field geometry for this star which is significally different from that of a centred dipole.

Detection of Cyclotron Lines in BL Hyi

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-83
Author(s):  
Lilia Ferrario ◽  
Dayal T. Wickramasinghe ◽  
Jeremy Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Field Strength ◽  
Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Wavelength Range ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Emission Region ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Spectroscopic Observations ◽  
Infrared Spectroscopic ◽  
Cyclotron Emission

AbstractWe present near-infrared spectroscopic observations over the wavelength range 0·9 to 2·5 μm of the AM Herculis system BL Hyi. During these observations, broad and resolvable cyclotron emission harmonics were visible near 1·25, 1·60 and 2·20 μm. We have interpreted these features as arising from a cyclotron emission region located near the white dwarf’s polar cap of magnetic field strength Bp = 23 MG.

Polarized Radiation from AM Herculis Stars

1983 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 217-221
Author(s):  
P. E. Barrett ◽  
G. Chanmugam
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Photon Scattering ◽  
Cyclotron Radiation ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Striking Effect ◽  
General Reduction ◽  
Polarized Radiation

ABSTRACTCalculations of polarized cyclotron radiation from magnetized hot plasmas are modified to include the effects of collisions and photon scattering. These effects produce a general reduction in both the linear and circular polarization. The background unpolarized flux which had previously been invoked, in an ad hoc manner for the collisionless case, is no longer required to bring agreement with observations. The most striking effect is at small viewing angles with the magnetic field, where the fractional circular polarization is reduced from nearly 100% to close to 0%. The calculations also show that the shape of the linear polarization pulse is essentially unchanged.

scholarly journals Broadband Linear Polarization in Ap Stars

1993 ◽  
Vol 138 ◽  
pp. 305-309
Author(s):  
Marco Landolfi ◽  
Egidio Landi Degl’Innocenti ◽  
Maurizio Landi Degl’Innocenti ◽  
Jean-Louis Leroy ◽  
Stefano Bagnulo
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Rotation Axis ◽  
Spectral Lines ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Rotating Star ◽  
Ap Stars ◽  
The Magnetic Field

AbstractBroadband linear polarization in the spectra of Ap stars is believed to be due to differential saturation between σ and π Zeeman components in spectral lines. This mechanism has been known for a long time to be the main agent of a similar phenomenon observed in sunspots. Since this phenomenon has been carefully calibrated in the solar case, it can be confidently used to deduce the magnetic field of Ap stars.Given the magnetic configuration of a rotating star, it is possible to deduce the broadband polarization at any phase. Calculations performed for the oblique dipole model show that the resulting polarization diagrams are very sensitive to the values of i (the angle between the rotation axis and the line of sight) and β (the angle between the rotation and magnetic axes). The dependence on i and β is such that the four-fold ambiguity typical of the circular polarization observations ((i,β), (β,i), (π-i,π-β), (π-β,π-i)) can be removed.

scholarly journals Central polar cap convection response to short duration southward Interplanetary Magnetic Field

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 887-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. T. Jayachandran ◽  
J. W. MacDougall
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Interplanetary Magnetic Field ◽  
Short Duration ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
Plasma Convection ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Ionosphere Plasma ◽  
Rapid Transition ◽  
Convection Speed ◽  
A Chain

Abstract. Central polar cap convection changes associated with southward turnings of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) are studied using a chain of Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosondes (CADI) in the northern polar cap. A study of 32 short duration (~1 h) southward IMF transition events found a three stage response: (1) initial response to a southward transition is near simultaneous for the entire polar cap; (2) the peak of the convection speed (attributed to the maximum merging electric field) propagates poleward from the ionospheric footprint of the merging region; and (3) if the change in IMF is rapid enough, then a step in convection appears to start at the cusp and then propagates antisunward over the polar cap with the velocity of the maximum convection. On the nightside, a substorm onset is observed at about the time when the step increase in convection (associated with the rapid transition of IMF) arrives at the polar cap boundary.Key words: Ionosphere (plasma convection; polar ionosphere) - Magnetospheric physics (solar wind - magnetosphere interaction)

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document