X-ray polarimetry with the Polarization Spectroscopic Telescope Array (PolSTAR)

 
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Krawczynski, Henric S.
Stern, Daniel
Harrison, Fiona A.
Kislat, Fabian F.
Zajczyk, Anna
Beilicke, Matthias
Hoormann, Janie
Guo, Qingzhen
Endsley, Ryan
Ingram, Adam R.
Miyasaka, Hiromasa
Madsen, Kristin K.
Aaron, Kim M.
Amini, Rashied
Baring, Matthew G.
Beheshtipour, Banafsheh
Bodaghee, Arash
Booth, Jeffrey
Borden, Chester
Böttcher, Markus
Christensen, Finn E.
Coppi, Paolo S.
Cowsik, Ramanath
Davis, Shane
Dexter, Jason
Done, Chris
Dominguez, Luis A.
Ellison, Don
English, Robin J.
Fabian, Andrew C.
Falcone, Abe
Favretto, Jeffrey A.
Fernández, Rodrigo
Giommi, Paolo
Grefenstette, Brian W.
Kara, Erin
Lee, Chung H.
Lyutikov, Maxim
Maccarone, Thomas
Matsumoto, Hironori
McKinney, Jonathan
Mihara, Tatehiro
Miller, Jon M.
Narayan, Ramesh
Natalucci, Lorenzo
Özel, Feryal
Pivovaroff, Michael J.
Pravdo, Steven
Psaltis, Dimitrios
Okajima, Takashi
Toma, Kenji
Zhang, William W.
Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2015.10.009
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Krawczynski, Henric S., Daniel Stern, Fiona A. Harrison, Fabian F. Kislat, Anna Zajczyk, Matthias Beilicke, Janie Hoormann, et al. 2016. “X-Ray Polarimetry with the Polarization Spectroscopic Telescope Array (PolSTAR).” Astroparticle Physics 75 (February): 8–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2015.10.009.
Abstract
This paper describes the Polarization Spectroscopic Telescope Array (PolSTAR), a mission proposed to NASA's 2014 Small Explorer (SMEX) announcement of opportunity. PolSTAR measures the linear polarization of 3-50 keV (requirement; goal: 2.5-70 keV) X-rays probing the behavior of matter, radiation and the very fabric of spacetime under the extreme conditions close to the event horizons of black holes, as well as in and around magnetars and neutron stars. The PolSTAR design is based on the technology developed for the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission launched in June 2012. In particular, it uses the same X-ray optics, extendable telescope boom, optical bench, and CdZnTe detectors as NuSTAR. The mission has the sensitivity to measure similar to 1% linear polarization fractions for X-ray sources with fluxes down to similar to 5 mCrab. This paper describes the PolSTAR design as well as the science drivers and the potential science return.
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This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#OAP
Citable link to this page
http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41384909

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