Prospects for detecting light echoes of galactic supernovae by wide-angle polarimetry

We propose to use a global (wide-angle, of the order of several degrees) di stribution of linearly polarized emission over the sky to detect light echo es of historical supernovae exploded in our Galaxy. The echo emission must be polarized tangential to the direction of the supernova explosion site, a nd its degree of polarization must exhibit a characteristic dependence on a ngular distance. The near infrared is an optimum spectral range for detecti on. A spotted structure in the shape of a ring similar to 5 degrees in diam eter and similar to 3 degrees in width with a total brightness of similar t o 12-13(m) in polarized light with a tangential orientation of the electric vector must be currently seen in the direction where Tycho Brahe observed a supernova explosion in 1572, A comparison of the expected intensity of th e echo with the intensities of the zodiacal light and the atmosphere shows that it can be detected in principle during long-term observations from spa ce and, under favorable conditions, even from the ground. (C) 2000 MAIK "Na uka/Interperiodica".