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Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry of Isolated Pulsars

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Astronomical Polarisation from the Infrared to Gamma Rays

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 460))

Abstract

Isolated pulsars are ideal sources for polarisation studies since the radiation from pulsars generally covers a wide range of wavelengths from radio to very-high-energy γ-rays and the pulsed emission is closely tied to the local magnetic field direction. Although radio polarisation data exist for many pulsars, polarisation measurements at higher energies exist for only six sources. All six of these have optical polarisation measurements while only the Crab pulsar has measured polarisation in the X-ray band. One member of a small group of pulsars only visible at optical and X-ray wavelengths, thought to be powered by thermal emission from the cooling neutron star surface, has detected optical polarisation. This chapter will review the current multi-wavelength polarisation observations and the theoretical modelling by which we can probe the pulsar magnetosphere structure and emission mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Alice K. Harding

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  1. Alice K. Harding
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Correspondence to Alice K. Harding .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. INAF/IASF - Milan, Milan, Italy

    Roberto Mignani

  2. School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Andrew Shearer

  3. Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Center for Astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland

    Agnieszka Słowikowska

  4. Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK

    Silvia Zane

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Harding, A.K. (2019). Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry of Isolated Pulsars. In: Mignani, R., Shearer, A., Słowikowska, A., Zane, S. (eds) Astronomical Polarisation from the Infrared to Gamma Rays. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 460. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19715-5_11

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