Polarimetry as a research area focuses on the measurement, analysis, and interpretation of the polarization state of electromagnetic radiation to infer physical properties of sources, media, and interfaces. It encompasses development of polarimetric instrumentation, calibration methods, and data reduction algorithms, and is applied across wavelengths from radio to X-rays. Research topics include Stokes parameter retrieval, Mueller and Jones matrix characterization, depolarization mechanisms, and polarimetric imaging. Polarimetry is used to probe anisotropy, magnetic fields, scattering geometries, surface roughness, particle size and shape distributions, as well as to enhance contrast and classification in remote sensing, astrophysics, materials science, and biomedical optics.
Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Craig DeForest discussed the latest accomplishments of NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission during a media event at the 246th American Astronomical Society ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 11, 2025
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What happens when the universe's most magnetic object shines with the power of 1000 suns in a matter of seconds? Thanks to NASA's IXPE (Imaging X‑ray Polarimetry Explorer), a mission in collaboration with ASI (Italian Space ...
Astronomy
Jun 5, 2025
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40
As instrument commissioning and calibration checks continue for NASA's newly launched PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, its four spacecraft continue to deliver new images—including its first ...
Astronomy
May 13, 2025
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The Southwest Research Institute-led Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission collected its first images following its March 11 launch into polar orbit around Earth. The mission's four small suitcase-sized ...
Astronomy
Apr 18, 2025
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Image quality often makes the difference between an amazing multimedia experience, like feeling immersed in a high-definition movie, and a visual letdown. When it comes to biomolecular imaging, the details matter even more. ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 4, 2025
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Capturing precise 3D details with a single camera has long been a challenge. Traditional methods often require complex dual-camera setups or specialized lighting conditions that are impractical for real-world applications. ...
Led by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland, a recent study demonstrates that random light acquires an additional phase factor, known as the geometric phase, when its oscillation direction (i.e., polarization) ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 18, 2025
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Using the X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), Indian astronomers have observed an X-ray binary system known as GX 9+1. Results of the observational campaign, presented ...
Terahertz (THz) waves, situated between the microwave and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, have drawn considerable attention over the past two decades.
Optics & Photonics
Jan 23, 2025
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121
Reliably measuring the polarization state of light is crucial for various technological applications, ranging from optical communication to biomedical imaging. Yet conventional polarimeters are made of bulky components, which ...
