PlanetPol explained

PlanetPol was a ground-based, high sensitivity polarimeter based at the William Herschel Telescope[1] on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain that has now been decommissioned. It was the most sensitive astronomical visual polarimeter ever built in fractional polarisation, a mantle that since its decommissioning now belongs to HIPPI. Although the device could be used for a wide range of astronomy, its primary use was the detection of extrasolar planets.[1]

Results

PlanetPol did not discover any extrasolar planets, however it was used to provide upper limits to planetary albedos in the known 55 Cnc and τ Boo planetary systems.[2] Observations with the polarimeter in the Canary Islands, which are affected by dust from the Sahara, also identified airborne dust as a source of polarization within our atmosphere.[3] Additionally, PlanetPol provided measurements of the polarization of a few dozen nearby stars,[4] which were later combined with southern hemisphere measurements from PlanetPol's successor, HIPPI,[5] to provide information about the nature of those stars and the distribution of the interstellar medium.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Hough. J. H. . 4 . Lucas, P. W. . Bailey, J. A. . Tamura, M. . Hirst, E. . Harrison, D. . Bartholomew-Biggs, M . PlanetPol: A Very High Sensitivity Polarimeter. The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific . 118 . 847 . 1302–1318. 2006-09-01 . 10.1086/507955. 2012-01-22. 2006PASP..118.1302H . free .
  2. Lucas. P. W.. Hough. J. H.. Bailey. J. A.. Tamura. M.. Hirst. E.. Harrison. D.. 2009-02-11. Planetpol polarimetry of the exoplanet systems 55 Cnc and τ Boo. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. en. 393. 1. 229–244. 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.14182.x. free . 0035-8711. 0807.2568. 2009MNRAS.393..229L.
  3. Bailey. Jeremy. Ulanowski. Z.. Lucas. P. W.. Hough. J. H.. Hirst. E.. Tamura. M.. May 2008. The effect of airborne dust on astronomical polarization measurements. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. en. 386. 2. 1016–1022. 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13088.x. 2008MNRAS.386.1016B. 0035-8711. free.
  4. Bailey. Jeremy. Lucas. P. W.. Hough. J. H.. April 2010. The linear polarization of nearby bright stars measured at the parts per million level. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. en. 405. 4. 2570. 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16634.x. free . 0035-8711. 1003.1753. 2010MNRAS.405.2570B. 16710999 .
  5. Bailey. Jeremy. Kedziora-Chudczer. Lucyna. Cotton. Daniel V.. Bott. Kimberly. Hough. J. H.. Lucas. P. W.. 2015-04-08. A high-sensitivity polarimeter using a ferro-electric liquid crystal modulator. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. en. 449. 3. 3064–3073. 10.1093/mnras/stv519. free . 1365-2966. 1503.02236. 2015MNRAS.449.3064B.
  6. Cotton. Daniel V.. Bailey. Jeremy. Kedziora-Chudczer. Lucyna. Bott. Kimberly. Lucas. P. W.. Hough. J. H.. Marshall. Jonathan P.. 2015-11-19. The linear polarization of Southern bright stars measured at the parts-per-million level. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. en. 455. 2. 1607–1628. 10.1093/mnras/stv2185. free . 0035-8711. 1509.07221. 2016MNRAS.455.1607C.

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