An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A representation that permits an easy visualisation of all different states of → polarization of a vector wave. The equator represents → linear polarization; the north pole corresponds to right-circular and the south pole to left- → circular polarization.

See also: Named after Henri Poincaré (1854-1912), French mathematician and theoretical physicist, and a philosopher of science; → sphere.