24 papers
EXPO: a quantum leap in fast, wide-band X-ray polarimetry for astrophysics
Paolo Soffitta, Sebastien Guillot, Ian Hutchinson +137
The Enhanced X-ray Polarimetry Observatory (EXPO) is a mission concept proposed to ESA as an M8 candidate, with a prospective launch in 2041. Building on the scientific success of…
A new NASA Pioneer: the Globe Orbiting Soft X-ray Polarimeter (GOSoX)
Herman L Marshall, Sarah N T Heine, Alan Garner +16
The Globe Orbiting Soft X-ray Polarimeter (GOSoX) is a spectropolarimeter for the soft X-ray band. GOSoX is based on the Rocket Experiment Demonstration of a Soft X-ray Polarimeter…
X-ray polarization of reflected thermal emission
J. Podgorný, M. DovÄiak, R. Goosmann +5
We compute rest-frame reflection spectra and the corresponding energy-dependent linear polarization degree and angle for (un)polarized single-temperature blackbody spectra impingin…
The long quest for vacuum birefringence in magnetars: 1E 1547.0-5408 and the elusive smoking gun
Roberto Taverna, Roberto Turolla, Lorenzo Marra +7
Magnetars are now known to be among the most strongly polarized celestial sources in X-rays. Here we report on the observation of the magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408 per…
Polarization properties of thermal accretion disk emission. I. Direct radiation
L. Marra, J. Podgorný, R. Taverna +4
The X-ray polarimetric observing window re-opening is shedding new light on our current understanding of compact accreting sources. This is true, in particular, for stellar-mass bl…
Magnetic-field Order in the Southwestern Rim of RCW 86 Constrained Using X-Ray Polarimetry
Stefano Silvestri, Dmitry Prokhorov, Jacco Vink +97
RCW 86 is a supernova remnant whose origin has recently been linked to an off-center explosion within a cavity created by its progenitor star. In the southwestern region, the forwa…