X rays from many astrophysical sources are expected to have some degree of polarization which depends on the emission mechanism and the source geometry. Polarization could provide definitive information about the structure of supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, stellar black holes, and high magnetic field neutron star X-ray sources. We are developing gas micro-pattern detectors, which at the focus of mirrors in a SMEX or MIDEX mission provide measurements sensitive to expected polarization of x rays from relatively faint X-ray sources. We are also studying the use of large-area pixelized gas well detectors to enable polarization measurements up to 300 MeV. A balloon-borne instrument based on Comption scattering is being developed to measure time-resolved polarization in the 30-200 keV range from specific bright X-ray sources. There are opportunities for research both on these detectors and on astrophysical source models.

Location:
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
Field of Science:Astrophysics
Advisors:
Stanley D. Hunter
stanley.d.hunter@nasa.gov
301-286-7280
Jeremy Schnittman
jeremy.d.schnittman@nasa.gov
301-286-8069
Keith Jahoda
Keith.M.Jahoda@nasa.gov
301-286-3527
Timothy Raymond Kallman
Timothy.R.Kallman@nasa.gov
301-286-3680

Maurice A. Leutenegger
maurice.a.leutenegger@nasa.gov
301-286-6410

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