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The Preliminary Version of
Bibliographical Catalogue of Stellar Polarization
M. L. Belous (1, 2)
1) Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
48 Pyatnitskaya st., Moscow 109017, Russia
2) State Astronomical Institute, Univerity of Moscow, Russia
Moscow, 1995
ABSTRACT
Bibliographical Catalogue of Stellar Polarization will hold
all the published data about stellar polarization observations
since 1977 up to now. The preliminary version of the Catalogue
presents its format and covers the period from 1977 to 1981.
Due to bibliographic nature of the Catalogue, the main
information it contains is not minute numerical data but basic
polarization characteristics, original papers references and
authors' conclusions about object polarization nature and
behavior.
I. INTRODUCTION
The preliminary version of the Bibliographic Catalogue
of Stellar Polarization (BCSP) contains data about
polarization measurements of more than 1600 galactic objects
published in 1977 - 1981. All the information included in the
Catalogue has been taken from original papers published during
this period. The main goal of the Catalogue is to present
necessary bibliography to explorers studying a certain object
and to give them some primary polarization data concerning with
it.
II. THE CATALOGUE STRUCTURE
The machine readable version of the Catalogue consists
of the following files:
+-------------+-------------+----------------+--------------------+
: NAME :RECORD LENGTH: RECORDS NUMBER : DESCRIPTION :
+-------------+-------------+----------------+--------------------+
: bcsp.doc : 76 : 473 : documentation file :
: refs.dat : 96 : 193 : bibliography 1 :
: authors.bib : 96 : 193 : bibliography 2 :
: bcsp.dat : 139 : 1637 : main data file :
: nocoord.dat : 139 : 22 : supplementary data :
+-------------+-------------+----------------+--------------------+
III. DETAILED CATALOGUE FILES DESCRIPTION
BCSP.DOC This file.
REFS.DAT Reference file (see sec. IX) sorted by A&AA
numbers.
AUTHORS.BIB Same as the previous, but the records are
sorted corresponding to authors' names.
BCSP.DAT Contains numerical data. The information
is presented in the following form:
+--------+----------+-------------------------------------------------+
: COLUMN : POSITION : CONTENTS :
+--------+----------+-------------------------------------------------+
: 1 : 1 - 14 : Object identifier (see sec. IV) :
: 2 : 16 - 22 : R. A. (2000.0): HH MM.m :
: 3 : 24 - 29 : Decl. (2000.0): *DD MM :
: 4 : 31 - 42 : Spectral type :
: : : (also see notes on coordinates and spectra :
: : : determination in sec. IV) :
: 5 : 44 - 52 : The degree of polarization (p) (see sec. V) :
: 6 : 54 - 81 : Information about the wavelengths used during :
: : : observations (see sec. VI) :
: 7 : 83 - 87 : Characteristics of polarization nature and :
: : : behavior given by author(s) in the original :
: : : paper (see sec. VII) :
: 8 : 89 - 102 : Data on observational period (see sec. VIII) :
: 9 :104 - 113 : Reference (A&AA number; see sec. IX) :
: 10 :115 - 124 : Object type (see sec. X) :
: 11 :126 - 139 : Another object identifier (see sec. IV) :
+--------+----------+-------------------------------------------------+
NOCOORD.DAT Contains objects which coordinates have been
unknown up to the date of this file creation
(see sec. IV).
IV. OBJECT IDENTIFIERS, COORDINATES AND SPECTRA
Object identifiers are mostly taken from the articles in
which these objects are described. Stellar coordinates (Right
Ascension and Declination 2000.0) and spectral type were
directly included into the Catalogue, if they were in the
article. But sometimes authors do not mention coordinates of
well-known (or well-known to them) objects. So, it was
necessary to interrogate Simbad database for these important
data. The same was made if there were only 1950.0 coordinates
in the original paper. It was possible to deal with most of the
Catalogue objects like this.
Several cases were more intricate. Certainly, Simbad
database does not contain all the astronomical catalogues, so
from time to time there appears an object unknown to Simbad in
original paper. Then some attempts were made to find more
cross-identifications. E. g., Simbad database "knows" white
dwarf LP 131-66, but does not know its other name, WD 1247+551.
In such cases identifiers known to Simbad are given in the
Catalogue. The number of these objects is not more than one
hundred.
But that is not the last difficulty. There are some
catalogues (e. g., NIPSS - Near Infrared Photographic Sky
Survey) that are not completely incorporated in Simbad
database. The coordinates of these objects were taken from
literature (from where it was possible) and recalculated to the
equinox of 2000.0. Only one or two dozens of such stars present
in the Catalogue.
In spite of all the efforts made there were several cases
in which no source could be found to determine stellar
coordinates. These objects are collected in file NOCOORD.DAT.
Further attempts would be applied to get necessary data for
them.
If an object spectrum was not presented in the original
paper, it was taken from Simbad (if it existed there, of
course). Sometimes spectral classifications of an object from
Simbad database and from the paper were different. Then the
Simbad data were preferred except the cases when these two
classifications were not too diverse.
Please pay attention to the greece letters designations
used in the Catalogue. They are different a bit from the
standard. There are no two-letter abbreviations here, and each
greece letter is presented with three latin ones:
+--------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+
: Alpha ALP : Eta ETA : Nu NHU : Tau TAU :
: Beta BET : Theta THE : Xi KSI : Upsilon UPS :
: Gamma GAM : Iota IOT : Omicron OMI : Phi PHI :
: Delta DEL : Kappa KAP : Pi PIE : Chi CHI :
: Epsilon EPS : Lambda LAM : Rho RHO : Psi PSI :
: Zeta ZET : Mu MHU : Sigma SIG : Omega OME :
+--------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+
Object identifiers are included in the catalogue twice:
in positions 1 - 14 (column 1) and 126 - 139 (column 11).
Everywhere it is possible column 1 contains preferably HD star
designations.
V. THE DEGREE OF POLARIZATION
Degree of linear polarization (p) was determined by
authors during observations and was published in their papers.
Sometimes authors presented Stokes parameters instead of
polarization degree and position angle. In such cases it was
easy to calculate polarization from these data.
All the values in this column are given in %%. Their
decimal points are in position 47. The quantity of digits after
decimal point is the same as in paper and is not reduced to a
single format.
This column (5) contains the degree of linear
polarization only. If you want to know whether circular
polarization was measured, please pay attention to flag in
position 83 (see sec. VII). But in some papers only circular
polarization measurements were presented. Then there is a
degree of circular polarization in this column with its sign in
position 44. For linear polarization the latter position
is blank.
A large amount of polarization measurements described in
this Catalogue was multiwavelength. Nevertheless, column 5
contains only single number. This number represents the most
high polarization level measured by authors through all the
observational period and through all the wavelengths. If the
polarization behavior obeys the Serkowsky law (see sec. VII
about it; pay attention at flag in position 85), it is not
difficult to get the wavelength on which such a degree of
polarization was observed. If not, explorers have more reasons
to look through the original paper.
VI. WAVELENGTHS USED DURING OBSERVATIONS
Column 6 contains the data about wavelengths used during
objects observations. This column consists of many flags and
numbers that do not present in every line. This is the list:
+----------+---------------------------------------------+
: POSITION : CONTAINS :
+----------+---------------------------------------------+
: 54 : #, if there was an unfiltered object :
: : measurement, and blank otherwise :
: 55 - 61 : Names of Johnson-Morgan system filters :
: : used during observations, and blank, if :
: : these filters were not used :
: 63 - 64 : Number of other (medium- and narrowband) :
: : used filters. If this number was more :
: : than 20, there is '>' sign in position 64 :
: 66 - 67 : The units used to describe medium- and :
: : narrowband filters: :
: : m meters :
: : cm centimeters :
: : mm millimeters :
: : um micrometers :
: : nm nanometers :
: : A angstroms :
: : GH gigahertzs :
: : MH megahertzs :
: : kV kiloelectronvolts :
: 69 - 74 : One of the medium- or narrowband filters :
: : bordering the wavelengths interval measured :
: : by authors (in units described before) :
: 76 - 81 : The other bordering filter :
+----------+---------------------------------------------+
Example:
#BR 5 um 1.6 2.2
means that this star was measured unfiltered (#), then two
Johnson-Morgan system filters (B and R) were used, and besides
there were measurements in five bands between 1.6 and 2.2
micrometers (um).
VII. REMARKS ON OBJECT POLARIZATION BEHAVIOR AND NATURE
After observations, authors often make efforts to
investigate the nature of its polarization basing on the
behavior of the object during the observational period. If
such an information presents in original paper, it is
incorporated in the Catalogue's column 7 using the following
format:
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: POSITION : FLAG3 EXPLANATION :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: 83 : circular polarization measurements of the :
: : corresponding object... :
: :--------------------------------------------------+
: : 0 : ...were not carried out; :
: : 1 : ...were carried out and the degree of :
: : : circular polarization presents in the :
: : : paper; :
: : 2 : ...were carried out but the circular :
: : : polarization was not detected; :
: : 3 : ...did not allow to make clear conclusion; :
: : 4 : ...present in the paper, but the author do :
: : : not make any conclusion :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: 84 : time variability of observing object :
: : polarization... :
: +--------------------------------------------------+
: : 0 : ...was not explored; :
: : 1 : ...was explored but was not detected; :
: : 2 : ...was detected; :
: : 3 : ...is not clear; different interpretations :
: : : are possible; :
: : 4 : ...was explored and all the data are in the:
: : : paper, but the author do not make any :
: : : conclusion; :
: : 5 : ...was detected during a part of the :
: : : observational period and definitely was not:
: : : detected during the other one :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: 85 : wavelength dependence of linear polarization... :
: +--------------------------------------------------+
: : 0 : ...was not explored; :
: : 1 : ...was found to be standard (Serkowsky :
: : : law); :
: : 2 : ...was unusual; :
: : 3 : ...was not clear enough to allow the author:
: : : to make any conclusion; :
: : 4 : ...was explored and all the data are in the:
: : : paper, but the author do not make any :
: : : conclusion; :
: : 5 : ...was found to fit another law (not :
: : : Serkowsky); :
: : 6 : ...was found to fit Serkowsky law during a :
: : : part of the observational period and :
: : : definitely not to fit it during the other :
: : : one; :
: : 7 : ...was found to be typical for the class of:
: : : objects the exploring star belongs to :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: 86 : spatial distribution of polarization in the :
: : region of the object... :
: +--------------------------------------------------+
: : 0 : ...was not explored; :
: : 1 : ...was explored and was published as a :
: : : map without numerical data; :
: : 2 : ...was explored and was published as a :
: : : map with numerical data; :
: : 3 : ...was explored, and besides the author :
: : : investigated the dependence between :
: : : polarizations of the object and its :
: : : environment :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
: 87 : the author's conclusion of the polarization :
: : nature... :
: +--------------------------------------------------+
: : 0 : ...is absent; :
: : 1 : ...is that the polarization nature is :
: : : interstellar; :
: : 2 : ...is that a part of object polarization is:
: : : intrinsic; :
: : 3 : ...is that he hardly can say anything about:
: : : the polarization nature of the object; :
: : 4 : ...is that during a part of the :
: : : observational period the object :
: : : polarization was definitely of interstellar:
: : : origin, but during the other one some :
: : : intrinsic component was detected :
+----------+--------------------------------------------------+
VIII. OBSERVATIONAL PERIOD DESCRIPTION
These data taken from the original paper are written in
the following form. There is the date when observations began
in positions 92 - 102: year, month abbreviation and day (the
latter two present if they are given in the paper). Flag in
position 90 allows to determine the observational period:
+--------+-----------------------------------------------+
: FLAG : PERIOD... :
+--------+-----------------------------------------------+
: 0 : ...is not specified by the author (the :
: : year can be taken from the paper only); :
: 1 : ...is not more than 24 hours; :
: 2 : ...is between a day and a month; :
: 3 : ...is between a month and a year; :
: 4 : ...is more than a year :
+--------+-----------------------------------------------+
Sometimes observations were carried out nonsystematically
during a long period but in a form of several shorter periods.
In such a case there is an asterisk (*) in position 89.
Example:
*1 1977 AUG 17
means that there were several observational periods (each
not more than a day) since August 17, 1977.
For single set of observations, position 89 is
blank.
IX. OBJECT REFERENCES
All the object reference notes are given in the form of
Astronomy & Astrophysics Abstracts (A&AA): volume number,
section number, article number (positions 104 - 113), separated
by dots. The references themselves are collected in files
REFS.DAT and AUTHORS.BIB; they are sorted along with AAA
numbers in the former file and along with authors' names in the
latter one. Journal designations are in the following table:
+--------+------------------------------------------------------+
: AA : Astronomy and Astrophysics :
: AAS : Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series :
: Af : Astrofizika :
: AJ : Astronomical Journal :
: AJP : Australian Journal of Physics :
: AiA : Astrometrija i Astrofizika :
: ApJ : Astrophysical Journal :
: ApJS : Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series :
: ARAA : Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics :
: ASS : Astrophysics & Space Science :
: AT : Astronomicheskij Tsirkulyar :
: ATAOS : Annual Tokyo Astron. Obser., Second series :
: AZ : Astronomicheskij Zhurnal :
: A&AA : Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts :
: BAAO : Bull. Abastumanskoj Astrofizicheskoj Obs. :
: BAAS : Bull. American Astron. Society :
: BAC : Bull. Astron. Inst. Czechosl. :
: IBVS : Inf. Bull. Variable Stars :
: IKAO : Izvestija Krymskoj Astrofizicheskoj Observatorii :
: JRASC : Journal of the Royal Astron. Soc. of Canada :
: MSAI : Memorie della Societa Astr. Italiana :
: MSAIN : Memorie della Societa Astr. Italiana, Nuova Seria :
: MNRAS : Monthly Notices of the Royal Astr. Soc. :
: MNASSA : Monthly Notices of the Astron. Soc. of South. Africa :
: MAG : Mitt. Astron. Ges. :
: NI : Nauchnye Informatsii :
: PASJ : Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan :
: PASP : Publ. Astron. Soc. Pacific :
: PAZ : Pis'ma v Astronomicheskij Zhurnal :
: PDAUB : Publ. Dep. Astron. Univ. Beograd, Fac. Sci. :
: POAB : Publ. Obs. Astron. Beograd :
: PZ : Peremennye Zvezdy :
: ROBGC : Royal Obs. Bull. Greenwich-Cape :
: SBO : Soobshcheniya Byurakanskoj Observatorii :
: TLO : Trudy Leningradskoj Astronomicheskoj Observatorii :
: VLGU : Vestnik Leningradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta :
+--------+------------------------------------------------------+
X. OBJECT TYPES CODING
As it follows from the Catalogue's title, it contains
stars only. So there are no other interesting objects such as
Herbig-Haro ones, molecular clouds and so on in it. Several
objects of unknown nature are also included in the Catalogue
because they possibly can be stars. There are certain types
exploring star can belong to in the Catalogue and they are
placed in positions 115 - 124:
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------+
: AM : AM Her stars : NS : Stars in nebulae :
: AP : Ap stars : O : O-type stars :
: BI : Binaries : PM : Pre-MS stars :
: BC : Beta Cephei stars : PS : Protostellar objects :
: BE : Be stars : PU : Pulsars :
: BN : BN-objects : RC : R CrB stars :
: CB : Close binaries : RS : RS CVn variables :
: CS : Carbon stars : SG : Supergiants :
: EB : Eclipsing binaries : SH : Shell stars :
: EL : Emission-line stars : SN : Supernovae :
: FL : Flare objects : SR : Supernovae remnants :
: G : Giants : SS : Stars in stellar systems :
: IR : Infrared objects : SV : Semiregular variables :
: MA : Maser sources : SY : Symbiotic stars :
: MG : Magnetic stars : T : T Tauri stars :
: MI : Mira variables : UG : U Geminorum stars :
: MV : Magnetic variables : V : Variables :
: N : Novae : WD : White dwarfs :
: NB : Nearby stars : WR : Wolf-Rayet stars :
: NL : Nova-like objects : X : X-ray sources :
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------+
XI. CONCLUSION
Bibliographical Catalogue of Stellar Polarization
(preliminary version) presents data about polarimetric
measurements of more than 1600 stars during the period of 1977
- 1980 through all the electromagnetic spectrum from X- to
radio wavelengths published in astronomical literature. The main
goal of the Catalogue is to inform explorers about polarimetric
measurements of objects they are interested in and to quote
necessary references. So there are not many numerical data in
the Catalogue. For example, there are no position angles of
polarization data in it. But the information containing in
several flags enclosed to each object reference allows to find
out whether definite paper contains data necessary to the
explorers' research.
This work is the preliminary publication of the Catalogue
only. The final version will contain data about polarization
measurements from 1977 up to date in the same form.
XII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank Dr. O. Yu. Malkov for his kind support
and gentle supervising in this research.
I thank Prof. C. Jaschek, Prof. A. Boyarchuk, Dr. J.
Krautter and Dr. H. Schwarz for their valuable advices on
the Catalogue's content and structure.
I am also grateful to Dr. M. E. Prokhorov for his aid in
several pulsars identifications and to Dr. F. Ochsenbein for
his helpful advices in Simbad usage.
This research has made use of the Simbad database,
operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.
© UDS/CNRS