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Magnetic Field Structure around the Crab Nebula Pulsar

Abstract

Forman and Visvanathan1 recently reported observations of the linear polarization in the central regions of the Crab Nebula. Their interpretations of the data in terms of magnetic fields must be substantially modified because the observations refer to an integration along the line of sight over the entire depth of the nebula, (This difficulty, of course, is common to all such observations, as is the fact that only the projection of the polarization onto the plane of the sky can be observed.) I would like to discuss the necessary modifications, and also present some rather old but previously unpublished data on the polarization of the wisps.

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References

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SCARGLE, J. Magnetic Field Structure around the Crab Nebula Pulsar. Nature Physical Science 230, 37–38 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/physci230037a0

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