Abstract
SMITH1 has given an upper limit to the interstellar magnetic field in the direction of the pulsating radio source CP 0950 derived from measurements of its Faraday rotation. This limit, < 2 × 10−7 gauss for a component directed towards the Earth, is, as Smith points out, much less than other existing estimates. Furthermore, it is significant that the contribution to the total rotation from the Earth's ionosphere implied by this limit is considerably lower than one would expect for the local time of the observations. In this communication we suggest that the observations as described are compatible with an interstellar field component of about 10−6 gauss directed towards the source and with a larger rotation contribution from the ionosphere.
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References
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ROGER, R., SHUTER, W. Interstellar Magnetic Field. Nature 218, 1036 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/2181036a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2181036a0
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Interstellar Magnetic Field
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