The generation and transformation of polarisation signals in molecular lines through collective anisotropic resonant scattering

Abstract

We discuss the existence of elliptical polarisation in rotational spectral lines of CO and other molecules within the context of the Anisotropic Resonant Scattering (ARS) model. We show that the effect of ARS on the radiation field can lead to not only the previously predicted transformation of background linear polarisation into circular polarisation (i.e., Faraday conversion), but also the occurrence of Faraday rotation and the generation of elliptically polarised signals in an otherwise initially unpolarised radiation field. This is due to a collective behaviour between the large number of molecules acting as a diffraction ensemble that strongly favours forward scattering over any other mode. Our application to astronomical data demonstrates the dependency of the Stokes parameters on the strength and orientation of the ambient magnetic field, and suggests that ARS will manifest itself for a wide range of molecular species and transitions.

arXiv comment20 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication MNRAS

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