RoboPol: a four-channel optical imaging polarimeter
Journal article, 2019

We present the design and performance of RoboPol, a four-channel optical polarimeter operating at the Skinakas Observatory in Crete, Greece. RoboPol is capable of measuring both relative linear Stokes parameters q and u (and the total intensity I) in one sky exposure. Though primarily used to measure the polarization of point sources in the R band, the instrument features additional filters (B, V, and I), enabling multiwavelength imaging polarimetry over a large field of view (13.6' × 13.6'). We demonstrate the accuracy and stability of the instrument throughout its 5 yr of operation. Best performance is achieved within the central region of the field of view and in the R band. For such measurements the systematic uncertainty is below 0.1 per cent in fractional linear polarization, p (0.05 per cent maximum likelihood). Throughout all observing seasons the instrumental polarization varies within 0.1 per cent in p and within ∼1° in polarization angle.

instrumentation: polarimeters

Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

techniques: polarimetric

Author

A. N. Ramaprakash

Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics

Georgia Panopoulou

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

0035-8711 (ISSN) 1365-2966 (eISSN)

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

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Latest update

11/14/2023