Due to the advent of a new generation of detectors, X-ray polarimetry promises to join X-ray imaging, spectroscopy and timing as one of the main observational techniques in high energy astrophysics. This has renewed interest in the field, and indeed several polarimetric missions have recently been proposed. This volume provides a complete and up-to-date view of the subject for researchers in astrophysics. The contributors discuss the present status and perspectives of instruments, review current theoretical models, and examine future missions. As well as detailed papers, the book contains broad reviews that can be easily understood by astrophysicists new to the field.
Author(s): Ronaldo Bellazzini, Enrico Costa, Giorgio Matt, Gianpiero Tagliaferri
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 384
Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Contributors......Page 11
Preface......Page 21
1.1.1 History......Page 25
1.2 Instrumental approaches......Page 26
1.2.2 Scattering polarimeters......Page 27
1.3.1 Photoelectron tracking......Page 28
1.3.2 Transmission filters......Page 30
References......Page 31
Part I Polarimetry techniques......Page 33
2.2 Experimental considerations......Page 35
2.3.1 RHESSI......Page 37
2.3.2 INTEGRAL......Page 38
2.4 Summary of upcoming missions......Page 39
References......Page 41
3.1 Introduction......Page 43
3.2 Polarization vs photoelectric effect......Page 44
3.3 Semiconductor-based polarimeters......Page 45
3.4 Gas-based polarimeters......Page 47
3.4.1 GEM-based micro-pattern polarimeters......Page 49
3.4.2 Micro-pattern TPC polarimeter......Page 55
References......Page 57
4.1 Introduction......Page 58
4.2 Bragg crystal polarizers......Page 59
4.3 Polarimetric sensitivity and control of systematic effects......Page 62
4.4 The Astrophysical Polarimetric EXplorer(APEX): an optimized Bragg crystal polarimeter......Page 63
References......Page 65
5.1 Introduction......Page 66
5.2 Experimental setup, simulation and measurements......Page 67
References......Page 71
6.1 Introduction......Page 72
6.2 Polarized photon interactions in Geant4......Page 73
6.3.1 Pair production in the electric field of the nucleus......Page 74
6.3.2 Pair production in the electric field of the electrons......Page 75
References......Page 77
7.1 Introduction......Page 78
7.2 Measurement of the modulation factor at two energies......Page 79
7.4 Characterization of the GPD on its detecting surface......Page 80
7.4.2 Position resolution......Page 81
References......Page 83
8.1 Introduction......Page 84
8.2.2 Gain stability......Page 85
8.2.3 Gain uniformity......Page 86
8.3.2 Heavy ion irradiation......Page 87
8.4 Summary and perspectives......Page 88
References......Page 89
9.1 Introduction......Page 90
9.4 Basis of a soft X-ray polarimeter......Page 91
9.5 A soft X-ray polarimeter prototyping facility......Page 93
References......Page 95
10.1 The photoelectric differential cross section......Page 96
10.2 The modulation curve for on-axis photons......Page 97
10.4 Measurements......Page 99
10.5 Conclusions......Page 101
References......Page 102
11.1 Introduction......Page 103
11.2 Resolution calculation and related simulation software......Page 104
Notes......Page 105
References......Page 106
12.1 Introduction......Page 107
12.2 Thomson X-ray polarimeter design......Page 108
12.3 Test and calibration system......Page 109
Acknowledgements......Page 110
References......Page 111
13.1 Introduction......Page 112
13.2.1 Laue lens......Page 113
13.2.2 Focal plane instrument......Page 114
References......Page 115
Part II Polarized emission in X-ray sources......Page 117
14.1 Introduction......Page 119
14.2 The observed radiation......Page 120
14.4 The transfer function......Page 121
14.5 The change of the polarization angle......Page 123
14.6 Conclusions......Page 126
15.1 Introduction......Page 127
15.2 Direct radiation......Page 128
15.3 Returning radiation......Page 130
15.4 Discussion......Page 131
References......Page 132
16.1 Introduction......Page 133
16.2 Polarization from black hole accretion discs......Page 134
16.3 Time-varying polarization from orbiting spots......Page 135
References......Page 139
17.1 Introduction......Page 141
17.2 Polarization angle and degree of polarization at detector......Page 142
References......Page 145
18.1 Introduction......Page 146
18.2.1 The primary emission......Page 147
18.2.2 Probing strong gravity......Page 148
18.3 Reflection from distant matter......Page 149
18.4 The Galactic Centre: a transient AGN?......Page 150
18.5 Observational perspectives......Page 151
References......Page 152
19.1 Introduction......Page 154
19.2 The photoionization signatures......Page 155
19.4 Polarization......Page 156
References......Page 158
20.1 Introduction......Page 160
20.2 X-ray polarization spectra of cold reprocessing disks......Page 161
20.3 A small disk and an obscuring torus......Page 163
20.4 Summary and perspectives......Page 164
References......Page 165
21.1 Introduction......Page 166
21.2 Models......Page 167
21.3 Results and discussions......Page 168
References......Page 169
22.1 Introduction......Page 170
22.3 Three-dimensional problem......Page 171
References......Page 173
23.1 Introduction......Page 174
23.3 Intrinsic polarization of radiation......Page 175
23.4 High-energy emission models......Page 176
23.6 Polarization in high-energy emission models......Page 177
References......Page 179
24.1 Introduction......Page 181
24.2 Polarized X-rays from NSs: basics......Page 182
24.3 QED effects on X-ray polarization signals......Page 183
24.3.1 QED effect in NS atmospheres......Page 184
24.3.2 QED effect in magnetospheres: polarization evolution......Page 186
24.4 Probing axions with polarized X-rays......Page 189
References......Page 190
25.1 Introduction......Page 192
25.2.1 Polarization in single Compton scattering......Page 193
25.2.3 Comptonization in optically thin atmosphere......Page 194
25.3.1 Relativistic rotating vector model......Page 195
25.3.2 Polarization properties of NMSP......Page 197
25.3.3 Polarization properties of accreting millisecond pulsars......Page 198
References......Page 199
26.1 Introduction......Page 200
26.2 Polarization near neutron-star surface......Page 201
26.3 Magnetospheric effects......Page 203
References......Page 205
27.1 Introduction and model description......Page 206
27.3 Polarization changes due to torus oscillations......Page 207
References......Page 210
28.1 Introduction......Page 211
28.2.1 X-ray polarization in magnetic cataclysmic variables......Page 213
28.2.2 X-ray polarization in ultra-compact double degenerates......Page 216
References......Page 218
29.1 Introduction......Page 219
29.2 The MHD model......Page 220
29.3 Polarization......Page 222
29.4 Conclusion......Page 224
References......Page 225
30.1 Introduction......Page 226
30.2 Prompt emission......Page 227
30.3 Afterglow......Page 230
30.5 Discussion......Page 231
References......Page 232
31.1 The central engine afterglow......Page 233
31.2.1 Significantly polarized central engine afterglow?......Page 235
31.2.2 Strong polarization evolution accompanying the sharp decline of the prompt X-ray emission and the flares?......Page 236
31.3 Discussion......Page 237
References......Page 238
32.1 Introduction......Page 239
32.2.1 GRB afterglows polarization......Page 240
32.2.3 Afterglow polarization and the geometry of GRB jets......Page 241
32.3 Swift and the early afterglow......Page 242
32.3.1 Early afterglow observations......Page 243
References......Page 244
33.1 Introduction......Page 246
33.2 The polarization analysis technique......Page 247
33.4 The source of the -ray emission within the Crab nebula......Page 248
33.5 Future -ray polarization measurements......Page 251
References......Page 252
34.1 Introduction......Page 254
34.2 Polarimetry with the INTEGRAL/IBIS Compton mode......Page 255
34.3 Calibration and performances of the IBIS/Compton polarimeter......Page 256
34.4 Crab observations......Page 257
34.5 Observation of variable polarization from GRB 041219A......Page 260
References......Page 261
35.2 J2021+3651......Page 262
35.3 Vela pulsar......Page 263
35.4 J0030+451......Page 264
References......Page 266
36.1 Introduction......Page 267
36.2 Virgo spirals in the hot ICM......Page 268
36.3 Summary and outlook......Page 270
References......Page 271
Part III Future missions......Page 273
37 Future missions......Page 275
37.2.1 A sensitive survey......Page 276
37.2.2 Black holes......Page 277
37.2.4 Supernova remnants......Page 278
37.3.1 X-ray polarimeter instrument......Page 279
37.3.2 Mission design......Page 280
37.4 Polarimeter performance......Page 281
References......Page 282
38.1 The national context......Page 284
38.2 The POLARIX mission......Page 286
38.2.1 The payload......Page 287
38.2.2 The bus and the mission......Page 288
38.2.3 The ground segment, the user segment, the data......Page 289
38.2.4 The performance......Page 290
38.3 Another pathfinder option: HXMT......Page 291
References......Page 292
39.1 XPOL on the IXO focal plane......Page 293
39.2 The XPOL configuration......Page 295
39.3 Space environmental tests: vibration tests......Page 296
39.5 Space environmental tests: heavily ionizing particles test.......Page 297
References......Page 298
40.1 Introduction......Page 299
40.2 SGD instrument design......Page 300
40.3 Expected performance......Page 302
40.4 Experimental validation......Page 304
Notes......Page 306
References......Page 307
41 The Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope and its polarization sensitivity......Page 308
41.1 Introduction......Page 309
41.3 Hard X-ray polarimetry with EXIST......Page 310
41.3.1 Estimate of the polarization sensitivity based on detector simulations......Page 311
41.4 Hard X-ray polarimetry with EXIST: science topics......Page 312
41.5 Summary and conclusions......Page 313
References......Page 314
42.1 Introduction......Page 315
42.2 Instrument design......Page 316
42.3 Expected performance......Page 317
42.4 The PoGOLite pathfinder mission in 2010......Page 318
42.4.1 Attitude control system......Page 319
42.4.2 Maiden balloon fiight, and future plans......Page 320
Notes......Page 321
References......Page 322
43 Studies of neutron background rejection in the PoGOLite polarimeter......Page 323
43.1 Introduction......Page 324
43.3 Neutron beam test......Page 325
43.4 Neutron beam test simulation......Page 326
43.5 Conclusions......Page 327
References......Page 328
44.2 X-ray emission from pulsars......Page 329
44.3 Accreting black holes......Page 331
References......Page 332
45.2 PDC testing......Page 333
45.2.3 BGO crystal (PDC) tests......Page 334
45.4 Selection procedures and results......Page 336
References......Page 337
46.1 Introduction......Page 338
46.2 The GRAPE instrument......Page 339
46.3 Beam calibration......Page 341
46.5 GRAPE science payload......Page 343
References......Page 345
47.1 Introduction......Page 346
47.2 The POLAR concept......Page 347
47.4 The POLAR detector......Page 348
47.5 Status of POLAR module tests......Page 349
References......Page 350
48.1 Introduction......Page 351
48.2 The gamma-ray monitor instrument concept......Page 352
48.3 The simulated performance......Page 353
48.5 Pulsars, AXPs, and SGRs......Page 355
References......Page 356
49.1 PolariS concept......Page 357
49.2 PolariS design and components......Page 358
49.2.3 Gas imaging polarimeter......Page 359
49.2.4 Scattering imaging polarimeters......Page 360
References......Page 362
50.1 Introduction......Page 363
50.3 Gamma-ray burst polarimeter – GAP......Page 364
50.4 Experiments with highly polarized X-rays......Page 366
50.5.1 Gamma-ray bursts and soft gamma-ray repeaters......Page 367
References......Page 368
51.1 Introduction......Page 369
51.3 The response function and sensitivity of the detector......Page 370
References......Page 373
52.1 Introduction......Page 374
52.3 Expected performances......Page 375
52.4 Conclusion......Page 377
References......Page 378
53.1 Introduction......Page 379
53.3 Gamma-Ray Polarimeter Experiment (GRAPE)......Page 380
53.4 The POET MIssion......Page 381
References......Page 382
Author index......Page 383
Subject index......Page 385
