Detection of optical circular polarization in the Herbig Ae star WW Vul |
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| Authors: | D N Shakhovskoi O S Shulov E N Kopatskaya |
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| Institution: | (1) Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, p/o Nauchny, Crimea, 334413, Ukraine;(2) Astronomical Institute, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia |
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| Abstract: | UBVRI observations of circular polarization in WW Vul are presented. A positive polarization of ～0.1% was detected with a signal-to-noise ratio from 3 to 5 in each of the bands and more than 5 when averaged over all five bands. This observed polarization roughly corresponds to a 1% circular polarization of the radiation scattered in a circumstellar disk, which is most likely attributable to the significant alignment of scattering nonspherical dust grains. Since grain alignment is possible only in a magnetic field, this result provides circumstantial evidence for the existence of a magnetic field in the circumstellar disk of WW Vul. |
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| Keywords: | young stars polarization |
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