Handling Background in IXPE polarimetric data

Abstract

IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) is a Small Explorer mission by NASA and ASI, launched on December 9${}^{th}$ 2021, dedicated to investigating X-ray polarimetry allowing angular-, time- and energy-resolved observations in the 2--8 keV energy band. IXPE is in Science Observation phase since January 2022; it comprises of three identical telescopes with grazing-incidence mirrors, each one having in the focal plane a Gas Pixel Detector (GPD). In this paper, we present a possible guideline to obtain an optimal background selection in polarimetric analysis, and a rejection strategy to remove instrumental background. This work is based on the analysis of IXPE observations, aiming to improve as much as possible the polarimetric sensitivity. In particular, the developed strategies have been applied ``as a case study'' to the IXPE observation of the 4U 0142+61 magnetar.

References in corpus (7)

• Analyzing the Data from X-ray Polarimeters with Stokes Parameters
• Design, Construction, and Test of the Gas Pixel Detectors for the IXPE Mission
• Detailed high-energy characteristics of AXP 4U 0142+61 - Multi-year observations with INTEGRAL, RXTE, XMM-Newton and ASCA
• A weighted analysis to improve the X-ray polarization sensitivity of IXPE
• Very deep X-ray observations of the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 4U 0142+614
• In-flight calibration system of Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer
• A Study of background for IXPE

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC4151 with IXPE
• IXPE observations of the quintessential wind-accreting X-ray pulsar Vela X-1