HX-POL-A balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter

H. Krawczynski; A. Garson; J. Martin; Q. Li; M. Beilicke; P. Dowkontt; K. Lee; E. Wulf; J. Kurfess; E. I. Novikova; G. D. Geronimo; M. G. Baring; A. K. Harding; J. Grindlay; J. S. Hong

doi:10.1109/TNS.2009.2034523

HX-POL-A balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter

H. Krawczynski, A. Garson, J. Martin, Q. Li, M. Beilicke, P. Dowkontt, K. Lee, E. Wulf, J. Kurfess, E. I. Novikova, G. D. Geronimo, M. G. Baring, A. K. Harding, J. Grindlay, J. S. Hong

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7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galactic X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.

Original language	English
Article number	5341450
Pages (from-to)	3607-3613
Number of pages	7
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Volume	56
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2009.2034523
State	Published - Dec 2009

Keywords

Gamma-ray astronomy detectors
Gammaray astronomy
Polarization
Semiconductor radiation detectors
X-ray astronomy
X-ray astronomy detectors

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Krawczynski, H., Garson, A., Martin, J., Li, Q., Beilicke, M., Dowkontt, P., Lee, K., Wulf, E., Kurfess, J., Novikova, E. I., Geronimo, G. D., Baring, M. G., Harding, A. K., Grindlay, J., & Hong, J. S. (2009). HX-POL-A balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 56(6), 3607-3613. Article 5341450. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2009.2034523

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title = "HX-POL-A balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter",

abstract = "We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10\%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galactic X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.",

keywords = "Gamma-ray astronomy detectors, Gammaray astronomy, Polarization, Semiconductor radiation detectors, X-ray astronomy, X-ray astronomy detectors",

author = "H. Krawczynski and A. Garson and J. Martin and Q. Li and M. Beilicke and P. Dowkontt and K. Lee and E. Wulf and J. Kurfess and Novikova, \{E. I.\} and Geronimo, \{G. D.\} and Baring, \{M. G.\} and Harding, \{A. K.\} and J. Grindlay and Hong, \{J. S.\}",

year = "2009",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1109/TNS.2009.2034523",

language = "English",

volume = "56",

pages = "3607--3613",

journal = "IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science",

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AU - Krawczynski, H.

AU - Garson, A.

AU - Martin, J.

AU - Li, Q.

AU - Beilicke, M.

AU - Dowkontt, P.

AU - Lee, K.

AU - Wulf, E.

AU - Kurfess, J.

AU - Novikova, E. I.

AU - Geronimo, G. D.

AU - Baring, M. G.

AU - Harding, A. K.

AU - Grindlay, J.

AU - Hong, J. S.

PY - 2009/12

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N2 - We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galactic X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.

AB - We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galactic X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.

KW - Gamma-ray astronomy detectors

KW - Gammaray astronomy

KW - Polarization

KW - Semiconductor radiation detectors

KW - X-ray astronomy

KW - X-ray astronomy detectors

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M3 - Article

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JO - IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

JF - IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

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ER -

HX-POL-A balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter

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Keywords

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