A small mission featuring an imaging x-ray polarimeter with high sensitivity

We show that meaningful, highly sensitive x-ray polarimetry with imaging capability is possible with a small mission tailored to the NASA Explorer program. Such a mission—derived from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) proposed to a previous NASA call—takes advantage of progress in light-weight x-ray optics and in gas pixel detectors to achieve sensitive time-resolved, spectrometric, imaging polarimetry. We outline the main characteristics and requirements of this mission and provide a realistic assessment of its scientific utility for modeling point-like and extended x-ray sources and for studying physical processes (including questions of fundamental physics).