Vth School of Astroparticle Physics
23 - 28 May 2016
OHP, Saint Michel l'Observatoire

Physics of the Universe in X-rays

Opening the new observational window of X-ray polarimetry

René W. GOOSMANN
 
Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg

Course
Aside from very few pioneering observations of the brightest X-ray sources carried out in the 1970s, astrophysical polarimetry is so far unexplored in the X-ray range. With the advent of a new detection technology based on gas pixel detectors and time projection chambers it is now possible to enable X-ray polarimetry for a large number of Galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources. At the time of the school, three X-ray polarimetry projects are competing for a NASA SMEX or ESA M4 space mission. In this lecture, I briefly introduce the detection principle that modern X-ray polarimetry is based on and I lay out its scientific motivation. It turns out that polarimetry offers a unique way to respond to several key science questions. In addition to this, it gives independent support in constraining the physics of a whole variety of X-ray sources.

Outline
  1. X-ray polarimetry: the missing peace in the X-ray puzzle
  2. Recent techniques to measure X-ray polarization
  3. The science case for X-ray polarimetry and its unique contributions
  4. Past and current mission projects

René Goosmann is a faculty member (maître de conférences) at the University of Strasbourg, France, conducting research at the Astronomical Observatory. As a member of the High Energy Group he works at the interface between observational and theoretical astrophysics and specializes in the multi-wavelength modeling of radiative transfer in astrophysical plasmas with a specific application to the environment of accreting black holes. He has been involved in the scientific preparation of past X-ray observatory projects and currently serves on the Science Study Team of the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (XIPE), a mission candidate in response to ESA's M4 call.

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