Acquisition and analysis of adaptive optics imaging polarimetry data
Ageorges, N. Walsh, J. R.
Ageorges, N.
Walsh, J. R.
Publication Date
1999-07-01
Type
Article
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Citation
Ageorges, N. Walsh, J. R. (1999). Acquisition and analysis of adaptive optics imaging polarimetry data. Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series 138 (1), 163-176
Abstract
The process of data taking. reduction and calibration of near-infrared imaging polarimetry data taken with the ESO Adaptive Optics System ADONIS is described. The ADONIS polarimetric facility is provided by a rotating wire grid polarizer. Images were taken at increments of 22.5 degrees of polarizer rotation from 0 to 180 degrees, over-sampling the polarization curve but allowing the effects of photometric variations to be assessed. Several strategies to remove the detector signature are described. The instrumental polarization was determined, by observations of stars of negligible polarization, to be 1.7% at J, H and K bands. The lack of availability of unpolarized standard stars in the IR, ill particular which are not too bright as to saturate current IR detectors, is highlighted. The process of making polarization maps is described. Experiments at restoring polarimetry data, in order to read! diffraction limited polarization, are outlined, with particular reference to data on the Homunculus reflection nebula around eta Carinae.
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Publisher
EDP Sciences
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland