Conclusions
Analysis of the polarization observations of IRC+10216 has shown that to explain the large polarization of the object it is necessary to have alignment of particles in an envelope through which the initially unpolarized radiation of the star passes on its way to the observer. Among the considered orientation mechanisms, paramagnetic relaxation near the photosphere for comparatively large fields (B≳353 G) is the most obvious in view of the rate of alignment of the particles compared with the disorientation by the thermal motion of the gas. A confirmation of the presence of a magnetic field could be given by observations of circular polarization, which according to our estimates could reach 3–4% in the case of IRC+10216.
The periodic variability of the degree of polarization of the object is due to a change in the diameter of the dust particles resulting from their partial evaporation at the phases of maximal light of the object.
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Additional information
A. F. Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute; Leningrad State University. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 297–309, April–June, 1979.
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Silant'ev, N.A., Khozov, G.V. Intrinsic polarization of the infrared carbon star IRC+10216 (CW Leo). Astrophysics 15, 195–202 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01006041
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01006041