First science results from the High Speed SAAO Photo-polarimeter

Potter, S.; Buckley, D. A. H.; O'Donoghue, D.; O'Connor, J.; Fourie, P.; Evans, G.; Sass, C.; Crause, L.; Butters, O. W.; Norton, A. J.; Mukai, K. and Still, M. (2011). First science results from the High Speed SAAO Photo-polarimeter. In: Astronomical Polarimetry 2008: Science from Small to Large Telescopes, 6-11 Jul 2008, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada.

URL: http://www.aspbooks.org/a/volumes/article_details/...

Abstract

We report on the completion of a new 2 channel, HIgh speed Photo-POlarimeter (HIPPO) to be used on the 1.9 m optical telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory. The instrument makes use of rapidly counter-rotating (10 Hz), super-achromatic half and quarter wave-plates, a fixed Glan-Thompson beamsplitter and two photo-multiplier tubes that record the modulated O and E beams. Each modulated beam permits an independent measurement of the polarization and therefore the capability of simultaneous 2 filter observations. All Stokes parameters are recorded every 0.1 s and photometry every 1 ms. Post-binning of data is possible in order to improve the signal. This is ideal for measuring, e.g., the rapid variability of the optical polarization from magnetic Cataclysmic Variable stars (mCVs). We will present our first science results made in February 2008. Specifically the discovery of short quasi-periodic (~ 3–5 minutes) variations in the circular polarized emissions from the recently discovered mCV candidate IGRJ14536-5522.

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