Polarimetry in the visible and infrared: application to CMB polarimetry

Interstellar polarization from aligned dust grains can be measured both in transmission at visible and near-infrared wavelengths and in emission at far-infrared and sub-mm wavelengths. These observations can help predict the behavior of foreground contamination of CMB polarimetry by dust in the Milky Way. Fractional polarization in emission from aligned dust grains will be at the higher range of currently observed values of 4–10%. Away from the galactic plane, fluctuations in Q and U will be dominated by fluctuations in intensity, and less influenced by fluctuations in fractional polarization and position angle.