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VST: The First Large Survey Telescope for Optical Polarimetry
Smette, Alain; Bagnulo, Stefano; Snik, Frans et al.
2018In VST in the Era of the Large Sky Surveys. Zenodo 1304780
 

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Abstract :
[en] Replacing the unused ADC by a polarizing filter would transform the VST into the first large polarimetric optical survey telescope, without affecting the current capabilities of the VST+OmegaCAM system. Scientific cases include: mapping the Milky-Way and Magellanic clouds magnetic fields, surveys of quasar polarization, identification and variability of polarized brown dwarfs, polarimetric characterization and mapping of solar-system objects (incl. the moon, comets, and asteroids), detection of polarized signal around the L4 and L5 Lagrange points, a census of magnetic white dwarfs and Herbig Ae/Be stars, etc. The design of the VST limits the technical implementation for the polarimetric unit to a single-beam system: therefore, we will develop data-driven calibration methods to achieve a sub-percent polarimetric accuracy. The proposed implementation is of low cost and requires no major development, as polarizing filters of the needed size are readily available. In particular, it does not require major modification neither of VST, nor of OmegaCAM. In fact, the currently offered capabilities of the VST+OmegaCAM are preserved as the polarizing filter can be removed from the optical beam. Would this project be accepted, efforts will be needed on the design of the polarimeter unit to optimize accuracy and execution times, on the design of the calibration plan, and on the extension of the data reduction pipeline to extract the polarization signals.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Smette, Alain;  ESO
Bagnulo, Stefano;  Armagh Observatory)
Snik, Frans
Cox, Nick
Hainaut, Olivier
Hutsemekers, Damien ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Magalhaes, Antonio Mario
Language :
English
Title :
VST: The First Large Survey Telescope for Optical Polarimetry
Publication date :
01 June 2018
Event name :
VST in the Era of the Large Sky Surveys
Event date :
5-8 June, 2018
Audience :
International
Main work title :
VST in the Era of the Large Sky Surveys. Zenodo 1304780
Pages :
ID#44
Available on ORBi :
since 10 July 2018

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