Polarization of Fast Radio Bursts: radiation mechanisms and propagation effects

TL;DR

This paper investigates the polarization mechanisms of fast radio bursts within the magnetar framework, analyzing intrinsic emission and propagation effects inside and outside the magnetosphere to explain observed polarization properties.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of polarization mechanisms for FRBs, considering both emission processes and propagation effects in magnetar environments, highlighting conditions for circular and linear polarization.

Findings

Coherent curvature radiation and inverse Compton scattering produce 100% linear polarization on-axis.

Off-axis viewing angles can generate circular polarization in magnetospheric emission.

Propagation effects like Faraday conversion and cyclotron absorption can modify polarization states.

Abstract

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are observed to be highly polarized. Most have high linear polarization but a small fraction show significant circular polarization. We systematically investigate a variety of polarization mechanisms of FRBs within the magnetar theoretical framework considering two emission sites inside and outside the magnetosphere. For each site, we discuss both intrinsic radiation mechanisms and propagation effects. Inside the magnetosphere, we investigate the polarization properties of both coherent curvature radiation and inverse Compton scattering by charged bunches and conclude that both mechanisms produce 100\% linear polarization at an on-axis geometry but can produce circular polarization if the viewing angle is off axis. The lack of circular polarization for the majority of bursts requires that the bunches have a large transverse dimension size. Resonant cyclotron absorption within magnetosphere may produce high circular polarization if electrons and positrons have an asymmetric Lorentz factor distribution. Outside the magnetosphere, the synchrotron maser emission mechanism in general produces highly linearly polarized emission. Circular polarization would appear at off-beam angles but the flux is greatly degraded and such bursts are not detectable at cosmological distances. Synchrotron absorption in a nebula with ordered magnetic field may reduce the circular polarization degree. Cyclotron absorption in a strongly magnetized medium may generate significant circular polarization. Faraday conversion in a medium with field reversal can convert one polarization mode to another. The two absorption processes require stringent physical conditions. Significant Faraday conversion may be realized in a magnetized dense environment involving binary systems or supernova remnants.