| An overview of the Red Rectangle reflection nebula is given here in terms of its light polarization using both observations and numerical modeling. It was seen that the visible light polarization through a {dollar}1sp{lcub}primeprime{rcub}{dollar} aperture is a constant 2.2%, while the UV polarization exhibited a sharp rise shortward of {dollar}0.2mu{dollar}m up to 16%. A position angle rotation of {dollar}{lcub}sim{rcub}70spcirc{dollar} was also noted at this same wavelength. This behavior could be explained as a result of the nebula's bipolar geometry and an optically thick dusty disk. Some molecular and atomic line polarizations were extracted and gave indications of the spatial distribution of material in the region.; A Monte Carlo radiative transfer code was written to model the Red Rectangle's polarization in the UV and the visible. A biconical geometry with a latitude-dependent dust density was assumed, and a variety of carbon-based dust types and sizes were considered. The best fit to the observed polarization was obtained with models which incorporated small {dollar}(0.05mu{dollar}m), medium {dollar}(0.25mu{dollar}m), and large {dollar}(10mu{dollar}m) grains of hydrogenated coal. Simulated polarization maps also gave reasonable agreement with Hubble Space Telescope images in the visible. |
