Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Alignment of Interstellar Grains by Cosmic Rays

Nature volume 222, pages 442–444 (1969)Cite this article

Abstract

The alignment of interstellar grains, required by the polarization of starlight, may result from the combined effects of radiation pressure from the central bulge of the galaxy, gas collisions and isotropic bombardment by cosmic rays.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hiltner, W. A., Vistas in Astronomy, 2 (edit. by Beer, A.) (Pergamon, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hall, J. S., Publ. US Naval Obs., 17, 275 (1958).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Davis, L., and Berge, G. L., Stars and Stellar Systems, 7 (edit. by Middlehurst, B. M., and Aller, L. H.) (Chicago, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Spitzer, L., and Tukey, J. W., Astrophys. J., 114, 187 (1951).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Davis, L., and Greenstein, J. L., Astrophys. J., 114, 206 (1951).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cayrel, R., and Schatzman, E., Ann. d'Astrophys., 17, 555 (1954).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gold, T., Mon. Not. Roy. Astro. Soc., 112, 215 (1952).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Purcell, E. M., Physica, 41, 100 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Greenberg, J. M., Stars and Stellar Systems, 7 (edit. by Middlehurst, B. M., and Aller, L. H.) (Chicago, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Greenberg, J. M., Physica, 41, 67 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wickramasinghe, N. C., Interstellar Grains (Chapman and Hall, 1967).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Wickramasinghe, N. C., and Nandy, K., Nature, 219, 1347 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bethe, H., and Ashkin, J., Experimental Nuclear Physics, 1 (edit. by Segre, E.) (Wiley, 1953).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gloeckler, G., and Jokipii, J. R., Astrophys. J., 148, L41 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Comstock, G. M., Fan, C. Y., and Simpson, J. A., Astrophys. J., 146, 51 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Pottasch, S. R., Bull. Astro. Soc. Netherlands, 19, 469 (1968).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Comstock, G. M., Astrophys. J., 155, 619 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hayakawa, S., Nishimura, S., and Takayanagi, K., Publ. Astro. Soc. Japan, 13, 184 (1961).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pikelner, S., Sov. Astron. J., 11, 737 (1968).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Spitzer, L., and Tomasko, M., Astrophys. J., 152, 971 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Greenberg, J. M., Astrophys. J., 145, 57 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Wickramasinghe, N. C., Donn, B. D., Stecher, T. P., and Williams, D. A., Nature, 212, 167 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Cambridge

    E. E. SALPETER & N. C. WICKRAMASINGHE

  2. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

    E. E. SALPETER

Authors
  1. E. E. SALPETER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. C. WICKRAMASINGHE
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SALPETER, E., WICKRAMASINGHE, N. Alignment of Interstellar Grains by Cosmic Rays. Nature 222, 442–444 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/222442a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/222442a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing