The Instrument of the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer
Journal
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
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Baldini, Luca
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Bellazzini, Ronaldo
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Latronico, Luca
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Minuti, Massimo
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Pinchera, Michele
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Sgro', Carmelo
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Spandre, Gloria
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Andersson, Hans
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Barbanera, Mattia
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Borotto, Fabio
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Brez, Alessandro
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Caporale, Ciro
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Cardelli, Claudia
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Carpentiero, Rita
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Castellano, Simone
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Castronuovo, Marco
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Cavalli, Luca
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Cavazzuti, Elisabetta
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Ceccanti, Marco
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Ciprini, Stefano
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Citraro, Saverio
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D'Alba, Elisa
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Di Lalla, Niccolo'
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Donnarumma, Immacolata
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Hayato, Asami
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Kitaguchi, Takao
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Lorenzi, Paolo
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Lucchesi, Leonardo
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Magazzu, Carlo
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Maldera, Simone
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Manfreda, Alberto
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Mangraviti, Elio
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Marengo, Marco
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Mereu, Paolo
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Mosti, Federico
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Nakano, Toshio
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Nasimi, Hikmat
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Negri, Barbara
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Nenonen, Seppo
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Orsini, Leonardo
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Pesce-Rollins, Melissa
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Profeti, Alessandro
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Puccetti, Simonetta
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Sarra, Paolo
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Sciortino, Andrea
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Tamagawa, Toru
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Tardiola, Marcello
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Vimercati, Marco
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Abstract
While X-ray spectroscopy, timing, and imaging have improved much since 1962 when the first astronomical nonsolar source was discovered, especially wi the launch of the Newton/X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, Rossi/X-ray Timing Explorer, and Chandra/Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, the progress of X-ray polarimetry has been meager. This is in part due to the lack of sensitive polarization detectors, which in turn is a result of the fate of approved missions and because celestial X-ray sources appear less polarized than expected. Only one positive measurement has been available until now: the Orbiting Solar Observatory measured the polarization of the Crab Nebula in the 1970s. The advent of microelectronics techniques has allowed for designing a detector based on the photoelectric effect of gas in an energy range where the optics are efficient at focusing in X-rays. Here we describe the instrument, which is the major contribution of the Italian collaboration to the Small Explorer mission called IXPE, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, which will launch in late 2021. The instrument is composed of three detector units based on this technique and a detector service unit. Three mirror modules provided by Marshall Space Flight Center focus X-rays onto the detectors. We show the technological choices, their scientific motivation, and results from the calibration of the instrument. IXPE will perform imaging, timing, and energy-resolved polarimetry in the 2-8 keV energy band opening this window of X-ray astronomy to tens of celestial sources of almost all classes.
Volume
162
Issue
5
Start page
208
Issn Identifier
0004-6256
Ads BibCode
2021AJ....162..208S
Rights
open.access
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