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The Instrument of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer
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While X-ray Spectroscopy, Timing and Imaging have improved verymuch since 1962, when the first astronomical non-solar source was discovered, especially with the launch of Newton/X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, Rossi/X-ray Timing Explorer and Chandra/Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, the progress of X-ray polarimetry has been meager. This is in part due to the lack of sensitive polarization detectors, in part due to the fate of approved missions and in part because the celestial X-ray sources appeared less polarized than expected. Only one positive measurement has been available until now. Indeed the eight Orbiting Solar Observatory measured the polarization of the Crab nebula in the 70s. The advent of techniques of microelectronics allowed for designing a detector based on the photoelectric effect in gas in an energy range where the optics are efficient in focusing X-rays. Herewe describe the Instrument, which is the major contribution of the Italian collaboration to the SmallExplorer mission called IXPE, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, which will be flown in late 2021. The instrument, is composed of three Detector Units, based on this technique, and a Detector Service Unit. Three Mirror Modules provided by Marshall Space Flight Center focus X-rays onto the detectors. In the following we will show the technological choices, their scientific motivation and the results from the calibration of the Instrument. IXPE will perform imaging, timing and energy resolved polarimetry in the 2-8 keV energy band opening this window of X-ray astronomy to tens of celestial sources of almost all classes.
Forward citations
Cited by 5 Pith papers
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Peering through the dip: IXPE unveils the extended scattering environment of GX 13+1
During the periodic dip of GX 13+1, X-ray polarization rises to 9.1%±1.1% and rotates by ~60° relative to the off-dip state, consistent with scattering in an oblate corona or disk wind.
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Unchanged X-Ray Polarization During Accretion Dips in the Low Hard State of Cygnus X-1
During Cygnus X-1 accretion dips the 2–8 keV polarization is unchanged within errors, indicating the absorbed disk does not contribute and supporting an extended oblate corona.
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Proof of Concept Measurements of Laterally Graded Multilayers for Soft X-ray Spectropolarimetry
Cr/Sc and W/B4C laterally graded multilayer mirrors modulate soft X-ray reflection with polarization angle, showing ~100% modulation at Brewster angle and ~80% at 30° incidence.
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The hitchhiker's guide to the IXPE data analysis
A user-oriented guide that collects best practices, data formats, and analysis strategies for extracting polarimetric information from IXPE observations.
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