Issue |
A&A
Volume 383, Number 1, FebruaryIII 2002
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 360 - 366 | |
Section | Numerical methods and codes | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20011717 | |
Published online | 15 February 2002 |
Experiments with a novel CCD stellar polarimeter
1
University Observatory, Acre Road, Glasgow, G20 0TL Scotland, UK
2
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Heidelberg, Germany e-mail: dirk.neumayer@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
Corresponding author: D. Clarke, d.clarke@astro.gla.ac.uk
Received:
19
July
2001
Accepted:
30
November
2001
Experiments and observations have been undertaken with
“bread-board” equipment to explore the potential of a “ring”
stellar polarimeter with a CCD camera, rather than photographic
plates used in Treanor's ([CITE]) original instrument. By
spreading the polarimetric signal over a large number of pixels on
the detector, design prediction suggests that the polarimetric
accuracy could be or
per
frame or even better. Although the photon accumulations suggest
that this was achieved, instabilities in the employed crude
modulator system provided frame to frame measurements with a
greater than expected scatter. Software was developed to reduce
the data in a simple way. With a design using more professional
components and perhaps with more sophisticated reduction
procedures, the full potential of the method should be achievable
with the prospect of high precision polarimetry of the brighter
stars. As an experimental bonus, the employed CCD chip was found
to be free from any measurable polarizational sensitivity.
Key words: instrumentation / polarimeters: techniques / polarimetric
© ESO, 2002
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