Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letters to Editor
  • Published:

Mechanism for the Delay of Polarization Minima in the Optical Pulsar NP 0532

Nature Physical Science volume 234, pages 86–87 (1971)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 24 January 1972

Abstract

EVER since its discovery1 the optical pulsar NP 0532 in the Crab Nebula has been much of a mystery. The sharply peaked, asymmetrical pulses, the high degree of linear polarization2 at an angle which rotates through the pulses3, and the polarization minima shortly after the pulse peaks4 are very puzzling phenomena.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Cocke, W. J., Disney, M. J., and Taylor, D. J., Nature, 221, 525 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Warner, B., Nather, R. E., and MacFarlane, M., Nature, 222, 233 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cocke, W. J., Disney, M. J., Muncaster, G. W., and Gehrels, T., Nature, 227, 1327 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kristian, J., Visvanathan, N., Westphal, J. A., and Snellen, G. A., Astrophys. J., 162, 475 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Smith, F. G., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 149, 1 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wampler, E. J., Scargle, J. D., and Miller, J. S., Astrophys. J. Lett., 157, L1 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pacholczyk, A. G., Radio Astrophysics (Freeman, San Francisco, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Oke, J. B., Astrophys. J. Lett., 156, L49 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Weisskopf, V. F., Phys. Today, 13, 24 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ferguson, D. C., Amer. J. Phys., 39, 1089 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lyne, A. G., Smith, F. G., and Graham, D. A., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 153, 337 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Smith, F. G., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 154, 5P (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721

    DALE C. FERGUSON

Authors
  1. DALE C. FERGUSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

FERGUSON, D. Mechanism for the Delay of Polarization Minima in the Optical Pulsar NP 0532. Nature Physical Science 234, 86–87 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/physci234086a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/physci234086a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing