An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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→ degree of polarization.

→ polarization; → degree.

The ratio expressed by P = (I_par - I_per) / (I_par + I_per), where I_par and I_per are the light intensities with the electric field vector respectively parallel and perpendicular to the incident beam.

→ polarization; → fraction.

To cause → polarization. To undergo polarization.

Infinitive of → polarization.

Of or pertaining to a medium or physical phenomenon that exhibits → polarization.

P.p. of → polarize.

→ Electromagnetic radiation in the optical region which has undergone → polarization.

Past participle of → polarize; → light.

An optical device capable of transforming natural light into polarized light, usually by selective transmission of polarized rays.

Agent noun of → polarize.

The angle of → incidence for which the reflected light is completely polarized. Also called the → Brewster angle and → polarization angle. See also → Brewster's law.

Polarizing, adj. of → polarize; → angle.

A filter that polarizes light passing through it.

Polarizing, adj. of → polarize; → filter.

A prism that is used to produce or analyze plane-polarized light.

Polarizing, adj. of → polarize; → prism.

Of or pertaining to a → quadrupole, especially a → quadrupole moment.

→ quadrupole + -ar, → -al.

A large area of the south polar region of → Mars which is covered with layers of → water ice and → dust. The SPLD, like the NPLD, has a maximum relief relative to the surrounding terrain of ~ 3.5 km and ~ 1,000 km across. Above the SPLD lies a very thin temporary (1-10 m) cap of → carbon dioxide ice/frost that snows out in the winter and sublimates over the spring and summer seasons. It is believed that the rhythmic nature of the deposits is related to oscillations in Mars' → orbital parameters (J. J. Plaut et al., 2007, Science 316, 92).

→ south; → polar; → layer; → deposit.

The → extreme adaptive optics system and → coronagraphic facility at the → European Southern Observatory (ESO) → Very Large Telescope (VLT) (UT3) available from May 2014. Its primary science goal is imaging, low-resolution spectroscopic, and polarimetric characterization of → exoplanetary system at → visible and → near-infrared wavelengths (0.5-2.32 μm). SPHERE is capable of obtaining → diffraction-limited images at 0''.02 to 0''.08 resolution depending on the wavelength. Its → spectral resolution is 30 to 350, depending on the mode.

→ spectro-; → polarimetric; → high; → contrast; → exoplanet.

Of or relating to → spectropolarimetry.

→ spectropolarimetry; → -ic.

A technique of observation in → astrophysics which combines → spectroscopy and → polarization measurements. Spectropolarimetry has a wide range of applications in astrophysics, including → stellar magnetic field studies. → ESPaDOnS, → HARPSpol.

→ spectro-; → polarimetry.

Same as → spherical coordinates.

→ spherical; → polar; → coordinate

The → linearly polarized light that vibrates perpendicularly to an imaginary line joining the source to the point of observation.

Tangentially, adverb of → tangential; → polarized; → light.

A light whose electric vector of vibration is randomly oriented. Light is an → electromagnetic wave possessing an electric vector and an associated orthogonal magnetic vector. Both vectors are → transverse to the axis of propagation. In unpolarized light the electric and magnetic vibrations occur in all possible planes. Ordinary light emitted by the Sun, by a living room lamp, or by a candle flame is unpolarized light. → polarization.

→ un-; → polarized light.

A quantum field theory a process in which an electromagnetic field gives rise to virtual electron-positron pairs that in turn exert electromagnetic fields of their own, in a manner similar to classical dielectric polarization.

→ vacuum; → polarization.