Highly Significant Detection of X-Ray Polarization from the Brightest Accreting Neutron Star Sco X-1

Abstract

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) measured with high significance the X-ray polarization of the brightest Z-source Scorpius X-1, resulting in the nominal 2-8 keV energy band in a polarization degree of 1.0(0.2)% and a polarization angle of 8(6)° at 90% of confidence level. This observation was strictly simultaneous with observations performed by NICER, NuSTAR, and Insight-HXMT, which allowed for a precise characterization of its broad-band spectrum from soft to hard X-rays. The source has been observed mainly in its soft state, with short periods of flaring. We also observed low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations. From a spectro-polarimetric analysis, we associate a polarization to the accretion disk at <3.2% at 90% of confidence level, compatible with expectations for an electron-scattering dominated optically thick atmosphere at the Sco X-1 inclination of 44°; for the higher-energy Comptonized component, we obtain a polarization of 1.3(0.4)%, in agreement with expectations for a slab of Thomson optical depth of ~7 and an electron temperature of ~3 keV. A polarization rotation with respect to previous observations by OSO-8 and PolarLight, and also with respect to the radio-jet position angle, is observed. This result may indicate a variation of the polarization with the source state that can be related to relativistic precession or to a change in the corona geometry with the accretion flow.

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