Evidence for a bipolar nebula around the peculiar B[e] star HD 45677 from ultraviolet spectropolarimetry

R. E. Schulte-Ladbeck, University of Wisconsin-Madison
D. S. Shepherd, University of Wisconsin-Madison
K. H. Nordsieck, University of Wisconsin-Madison
A. D. Code, University of Wisconsin-Madison
C. M. Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
B. L. Babler, University of Wisconsin-Madison
K. S. Bjorkman, University of Wisconsin-Madison
G. C. Clayton, University of Wisconsin-Madison
A. M. Magalhães, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M. R. Meade, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M. Taylor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
B. A. Whitney, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Abstract

We report the first ultraviolet spectropolarimetry of the peculiar B-type emission-line star with infrared excess HD 45677. The observations were obtained during the 1990 December Astro-1 space shuttle mission with the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment, WUPPE, and cover the spectral range 1400-3220 Å. We also present the first optical spectropolarimetry, extending from the atmospheric cutoff to ∼ 7600 Å. The observed UV/optical linear polarization displays a strong increase toward shorter wavelengths indicative of scattering by circumstellar dust. The position angle of the intrinsic polarization flips by 90° in the near-UV as expected from a bipolar reflection nebula.