Abstract

POMM: a new high precision Polarimeter for the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic

Pierre Bastien (Université de Montréal - iREx )

Mike Tommy Duchesne and Laurent Drissen (U. Laval)

A new Polarimeter has been built for the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic, POMM, and is currently undergoing commissioning. It is optimized to reach a precision of one part per million, a factor of 100 better than its predecessor. The characteristics that make this goal possible and the observational projects envisioned will be presented. The instrument is particularly well-suited to study low-level polarization variations in bright stars. Hot Jupiters are expected to produce orbital variations at the level of a few parts per million. The polarization is produced by Rayleigh and dust scattering of stellar photons in the atmosphere of the planet. There is a controversy about the detection of exoplanet HD 189733 b, claimed and refuted by various observers. Additional data should help understand this system. Orbital variations in stellar binaries, such as Wolf-Rayet stars, will also be studied.

Mode of presentation: poster