Publications (42)
Opening a New Window to Fundamental Physics and Astrophysics: X-ray Polarimetry
E. Costa, R. Bellazzini, P. Soffitta +25
An extensive theoretical literature predicts that X-ray Polarimetry can directly determine relevant physical and geometrical parameters of astrophysical sources, and discriminate b…
Prospects of 3D mapping of the Galactic Centre clouds with X-ray polarimetry
F. Marin, V. Karas, D. Kunneriath +1
Despite past panchromatic observations of the innermost part of the Milky Way, the overall structure of the Galactic Centre (GC) remains enigmatic in terms of geometry. In this pap…
The Large Area Detector of LOFT: the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing
S. Zane, D. Walton, T. Kennedy +56
LOFT (Large Observatory for X-ray Timing) is one of the five candidates that were considered by ESA as an M3 mission (with launch in 2022-2024) and has been studied during an exten…
LOFT: the Large Observatory For X-ray Timing
M. Feroci, J. W. den Herder, E. Bozzo +245
The LOFT mission concept is one of four candidates selected by ESA for the M3 launch opportunity as Medium Size missions of the Cosmic Vision programme. The launch window is curren…
X-ray polarimetry of X-ray pulsar X Persei: another orthogonal rotator?
A. A. Mushtukov, S. S. Tsygankov, J. Poutanen +103
X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of 835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indi…
Thermal disc emission from a rotating black hole: X-ray polarization signatures
M. Dovciak, F. Muleri, R. W. Goosmann +2
Thermal emission from the accretion disc around a black hole can be polarized, due to Thomson scattering in a disc atmosphere. In Newtonian space, the polarization angle must be ei…
The International Axion Observatory (IAXO): case, status and plans. Input to the European Strategy for Particle Physics
A. Arcusa, S. Ahyoune, K. Altenmuller +120
The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) is a next-generation axion helioscope designed to search for solar axions with unprecedented sensitivity. IAXO holds a unique position in…
The geometry of the hot corona in MCG-05-23-16 constrained by X-ray polarimetry
D. Tagliacozzo, A. Marinucci, F. Ursini +105
We report on the second observation of the radio-quiet active galactic nucleus (AGN) MCG-05-23-16 performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The observation star…
The X-ray polarisation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy IC 4329A
A. Ingram, M. Ewing, A. Marinucci +105
We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed the source for ~500 ks, supported by…
Science Prospects for the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory: SWGO
SWGO Collaboration, P. Abreu, R. Alfaro +303
Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy is now well established as a key observational approach to address critical topics at the frontiers of astroparticle physics and high-energy astrop…
Simulations of the X-ray imaging capabilities of the Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) for the LOFT Wide Field Monitor
Y. Evangelista, R. Campana, E. Del Monte +13
The Large Observatory For X-ray Timing (LOFT), selected by ESA as one of the four Cosmic Vision M3 candidate missions to undergo an assessment phase, will revolutionize the study o…
IXPE observation confirms a high spin in the accreting black hole 4U 1957+115
L. Marra, M. Brigitte, N. Rodriguez Cavero +113
We present the results of the first X-ray polarimetric observation of the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1957+115, performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer in May 2023. The…
Low energy polarization sensitivity of the Gas Pixel Detector
F. Muleri, P. Soffitta, L. Baldini +15
An X-ray photoelectric polarimeter based on the Gas Pixel Detector has been proposed to be included in many upcoming space missions to fill the gap of about 30 years from the first…
Probing the Galactic center with X-ray polarimetry
F. Marin, V. Karas, D. Kunneriath +2
The Galactic center (GC) holds the closest-to-Earth supermassive black hole (SMBH), which makes it the best laboratory to study the close environment of extremely massive compact o…
X-ray polarimetry and spectroscopy of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary GX 9+9: an in-depth study with IXPE and NuSTAR
F. Ursini, R. Farinelli, A. Gnarini +101
We report on a comprehensive analysis of simultaneous X-ray polarimetric and spectral data of the bright atoll source GX 9+9 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and…
The imaging properties of the Gas Pixel Detector as a focal plane polarimeter
S. Fabiani, E. Costa, E. Del Monte +19
X-rays are particularly suited to probe the physics of extreme objects. However, despite the enormous improvements of X-ray Astronomy in imaging, spectroscopy and timing, polarimet…
X-ray polarimetry as a new tool to discriminate reflection from absorption scenarios -- Predictions for MCG-6-30-15
F. Marin, R. W. Goosmann, M. Dovciak +5
We present modelling of X-ray polarisation spectra emerging from the two competing scenarios that are proposed to explain the broad Fe Kα line in the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15.…
Characterization of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) for the CUbesat Solar Polarimeter (CUSP) mission
F. Cologgi, A. Alimenti, S. Fabiani +39
The CUbesat Solar Polarimeter (CUSP) project is a CubeSat mission orbiting the Earth aimed to measure the linear polarization of solar flares in the hard X-ray band by means of a C…
Predicting the X-ray polarization of type-2 Seyfert galaxies
F. Marin, M. Dovciak, F. Muleri +2
Infrared, optical and ultraviolet spectropolarimetric observations have proven to be ideal tools for the study of the hidden nuclei of type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) and for c…
eXTP -- enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry Mission
S. N. Zhang, M. Feroci, A. Santangelo +181
eXTP is a science mission designed to study the state of matter under extreme conditions of density, gravity and magnetism. Primary targets include isolated and binary neutron star…
The Large Observatory For x-ray Timing
M. Feroci, J. W. den Herder, E. Bozzo +341
The Large Observatory For x-ray Timing (LOFT) was studied within ESA M3 Cosmic Vision framework and participated in the final down-selection for a launch slot in 2022-2024. Thanks…
Recovery of the X-ray polarisation of Swift J1727.81613 after the soft-to-hard spectral transition
J. Podgorný, J. Svoboda, M. DovÄiak +34
We report on the detection of X-ray polarisation in the black-hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.81613 during its dim hard spectral state by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (I…
LOFT - a Large Observatory For x-ray Timing
M. Feroci, L. Stella, A. Vacchi +46
The high time resolution observations of the X-ray sky hold the key to a number of diagnostics of fundamental physics, some of which are unaccessible to other types of investigatio…
Prospects for IXPE and eXTP polarimetric archaeology of the reflection nebulae in the Galactic center
L. Di Gesu, R. Ferrazzoli, I. Donnarumma +5
The X-ray polarization properties of the reflection nebulae in the Galactic center inform us about the direction of the illuminating source (through the polarization angle) and the…
X-ray polarization measurement of the gold standard of radio-quiet active galactic nuclei : NGC 1068
F. Marin, A. Marinucci, M. Laurenti +102
We used the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite to measure, for the first time, the 2-8 keV polarization of NGC 1068. We pointed IXPE for a net exposure time of 1.1…
Polarization constraints on the X-ray corona in Seyfert Galaxies: MCG-05-23-16
A. Marinucci, F. Muleri, M. DovÄiak +97
We report on the first observation of a radio-quiet Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) using polarized X-rays: the Seyfert 1.9 galaxy MCG-05-23-16. This source was pointed with the Imag…
Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC4151 with IXPE
V. E. Gianolli, D. E. Kim, S. Bianchi +106
We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks,…
Reflection nebulae in the Galactic Center: the case for soft X-ray imaging polarimetry
F. Marin, F. Muleri, P. Soffitta +2
The origin of irradiation and fluorescence of the 6.4 keV bright giant molecular clouds surrounding Sgr A*, the central supermassive black hole of our Galaxy, remains enigmatic. Te…
Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer
F. Ursini, A. Marinucci, G. Matt +94
We report on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observation of the closest and X-ray brightest Compton-thick active galactic nucleus (AGN), the Circinus galaxy. We find…
A Large Area Detector proposed for the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT)
S. Zane, D. Walton, T. Kennedy +54
The Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT) is one of the four candidate ESA M3 missions considered for launch in the 2022 time-frame. It is specifically designed to perform fast…
Design, Construction, and Test of the Gas Pixel Detectors for the IXPE Mission
L. Baldini, M. Barbanera, R. Bellazzini +91
Due to be launched in late 2021, the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a NASA Small Explorer mission designed to perform polarization measurements in the 2-8 keV band, c…
Characterization of the VEGA ASIC coupled to large area position-sensitive Silicon Drift Detectors
R. Campana, Y. Evangelista, F. Fuschino +22
Low-noise, position-sensitive Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) are particularly useful for experiments in which a good energy resolution combined with a large sensitive area is requi…
An accurate solar axions ray-tracing response of BabyIAXO
S. Ahyoune, K. Altenmueller, I. Antolin +124
BabyIAXO is the intermediate stage of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO) to be hosted at DESY. Its primary goal is the detection of solar axions following the axion heliosc…
Radiation tests of the Silicon Drift Detectors for LOFT
E. Del Monte, P. Azzarello, E. Bozzo +13
During the three years long assessment phase of the LOFT mission, candidate to the M3 launch opportunity of the ESA Cosmic Vision programme, we estimated and measured the radiation…
Light bending scenario for accreting black holes in X-ray polarimetry
M. Dovciak, F. Muleri, R. W. Goosmann +2
We discuss a model of an X-ray illuminating source above an accretion disk of a rotating black hole. Within the so called lamp-post scheme we compute the expected (observed) polari…
Testing multilayer-coated polarizing mirrors for the LAMP soft X-ray telescope
D. Spiga, B. Salmaso, R. She +13
The LAMP (Lightweight Asymmetry and Magnetism Probe) X-ray telescope is a mission concept to measure the polarization of X-ray astronomical sources at 250 eV via imaging mirrors th…
X-ray polarimetry in Astrophysics with the Gas Pixel Detector
F. Muleri, R. Bellazzini, A. Brez +7
The Gas Pixel Detector, recently developed and continuously improved by Pisa INFN in collaboration with IASF-Roma of INAF, can visualize the tracks produced within a low Z gas by p…
Optimisation of the design for the LOFT Large Area Detector Module
D. Walton, B. Winter, S. Zane +25
LOFT (Large Observatory for X-ray Timing) is an X-ray timing observatory that, with four other candidates, was considered by ESA as an M3 mission (with launch in 2022-2024) and has…
Assembly and Test of the Gas Pixel Detector for X-ray Polarimetry
H. Li, H. Feng, F. Muleri +10
The gas pixel detector (GPD) dedicated for photoelectric X-ray polarimetry is selected as the focal plane detector for the ESA medium-class mission concept X-ray Imaging and Polari…
Accretion geometry of the neutron star low mass X-ray binary Cyg X-2 from X-ray polarization measurements
R. Farinelli, S. Fabiani, J. Poutanen +92
We report spectro-polarimetric results of an observational campaign of the bright neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Cyg X-2 simultaneously observed by IXPE, NICER and INTEGRAL. Co…
Spectral and polarimetric characterization of the Gas Pixel Detector filled with dimethyl ether
F. Muleri, P. Soffitta, L. Baldini +12
The Gas Pixel Detector belongs to the very limited class of gas detectors optimized for the measurement of X-ray polarization in the emission of astrophysical sources. The choice o…
IXPE Observations of the Blazar Mrk 501 in 2022: A Multiwavelength View
L. Lisalda, E. Gau, H. Krawczynski +157
The blazar Markarian 501 (Mrk 501) was observed on three occasions over a 4-month period between 2022 March and 2022 July with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). In thi…