We report on a new instrument that brings high efficiency to x-ray polarimetry, which is the last unexplored field of x-ray astronomy. It derives the polarization information from the tracks of the photoelectrons imaged by a finely subdivided gas pixel detector. The device can also do simultaneously good imaging, moderate spectroscopy and fast, high rate timing down to 150 eV. Moreover, being truly 2D, it is non dispersive and does not require rotation. The great immprovement of sensitivity will allow direct exploration of the most dramatic objects of the x-ray sky; with integrations of the order of one day we could perform polarimetry of Active Galactic Nuclei at the percent level, a breakthrough in this fascinating window of high energy astrophysics.
Micro Pattern Gas Detector for X-ray polarimetry
ANGELINI, FRANCO;BALDINI, LUCA;MASSAI, MARCO MARIA;
2003-01-01
Abstract
We report on a new instrument that brings high efficiency to x-ray polarimetry, which is the last unexplored field of x-ray astronomy. It derives the polarization information from the tracks of the photoelectrons imaged by a finely subdivided gas pixel detector. The device can also do simultaneously good imaging, moderate spectroscopy and fast, high rate timing down to 150 eV. Moreover, being truly 2D, it is non dispersive and does not require rotation. The great immprovement of sensitivity will allow direct exploration of the most dramatic objects of the x-ray sky; with integrations of the order of one day we could perform polarimetry of Active Galactic Nuclei at the percent level, a breakthrough in this fascinating window of high energy astrophysics.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
