Previous abstract Next abstract The Diffuse Infrared Background
Experiment (DIRBE) aboard the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)
has provided the first full-sky linear polarization survey in
the near-infrared, at 1.25 $\mu$m, 2.2 $\mu$m and 3.5 $\mu$m. A
set of 41 weekly averaged maps include the linear Stokes
parameters Q and U and their uncertainties for sky pixels
measuring 0.35$\deg$ on a side. These data are best applied to
studies of diffuse radiation, principally the zodiacal light.
Polarizations of point sources should be derived from the DIRBE
time-ordered data file, which includes calibrated intensities
for all the polarization and total intensity channels, at a time
resolution of 0.125 sec. This presentation describes the DIRBE
polarization data products, with emphasis on the advantages and
limitations of DIRBE polarimetry for studying the polarization
of the diffuse sky and of point sources. $^*$ The NASA/Goddard
Space Flight Center (GSFC) is responsible for the design,
development, and operation o