2019/01/11 by Baptiste Cecconi, Cecconi, Baptiste
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #FOS: Physical sciences #Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1901.03599
openalex publication_date 2019/01/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This chapter introduces the concepts of polarimetry in the case of low frequency radio astronomy. In this regime radio waves are usually not the signature of atomic or molecular transitions lines, but rather that of unstable particle distribution functions releasing their free energy through electromagnetic radiation. As the radio source region is usually magnetized, the propagation medium (at least close to the source) is anisotropic, and the polarization depends on the local magnetic field direction, the propagation mode and the direction of propagation.