Refereed journal article or data article (A1)
Polarized x-rays from a magnetar
List of Authors: Taverna Roberto, Turolla Roberto, Muleri Fabio, Heyl Jeremy, Zane Silvia, Baldini Luca, González-Caniulef Denis, Bachetti Matteo, Rankin John, Caiazzo Ilaria, Di Lalla Niccolò, Doroshenko Victor, Errando Manel, Gau Ephraim, Kırmızıbayrak Demet, Krawczynski Henric, Negro Michela, Ng Mason, Omodei Nicola, Possenti Andrea, Tamagawa Toru, Uchiyama Keisuke, Weisskopf Martin C., Agudo Ivan, Antonelli Lucio A., Baumgartner Wayne H., Bellazzini Ronaldo, Bianchi Stefano, Bongiorno Stephen D., Bonino Raffaella, Brez Alessandro, Bucciantini Niccolò, Capitanio Fiamma, Castellano Simone, Cavazzuti Elisabetta, Ciprini Stefano, Costa Enrico, De Rosa Alessandra, Del Monte Ettore, Di Gesu Laura, Di Marco Alessandro, Donnarumma Immacolata, Dovčiak Michal, Ehlert Steven R., Enoto Teruaki, Evangelista Yuri, Fabiani Sergio, Ferrazzoli Riccardo, Garcia Javier A., Gunji Shuichi, Hayashida Kiyoshi, Iwakiri Wataru, Jorstad Svetlana G., Karas Vladimir, Kitaguchi Takao, Kolodziejczak Jeffery J., La Monaca Fabio, Latronico Luca, Liodakis Ioannis, Maldera Simone, Manfreda Alberto, Marin Frédéric, Marinucci Andrea, Marscher Alan P., Marshall Herman L., Matt Giorgio, Mitsuishi Ikuyuki, Mizuno Tsunefumi, Ng Stephen C.-Y., O’Dell Stephen L., Oppedisano Chiara, Papitto Alessandro, Pavlov George G., Peirson Abel L., Perri Matteo, Pesce-Rollins Melissa, Pilia Maura, Poutanen Juri, Puccetti Simonetta, Ramsey Brian D., Ratheesh Ajay, Romani Roger W., Sgrò Carmelo, Slane Patrick, Soffitta Paolo, Spandre Gloria, Tavecchio Fabrizio, Tawara Yuzuru, Tennant Allyn F., Thomas Nicholas E., Tombesi Francesco, Trois Alessio, Tsygankov Sergey S., Vink Jacco, Wu Kinwah, Xie Fei
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Publication year: 2022
Journal: Science
Journal name in source: Science (New York, N.Y.)
Journal acronym: Science
Volume number: 378
Issue number: 6620
Start page: 646
End page: 650
ISSN: 0036-8075
eISSN: 1095-9203
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.add0080
URL: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add0080
Magnetars are neutron stars with ultrastrong magnetic fields, which can be observed in x-rays. Polarization measurements could provide information on their magnetic fields and surface properties. We observed polarized x-rays from the magnetar 4U 0142+61 using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer and found a linear polarization degree of 13.5 ± 0.8% averaged over the 2- to 8-kilo-electron volt band. The polarization changes with energy: The degree is 15.0 ± 1.0% at 2 to 4 kilo-electron volts, drops below the instrumental sensitivity ~4 to 5 kilo-electron volts, and rises to 35.2 ± 7.1% at 5.5 to 8 kilo-electron volts. The polarization angle also changes by 90° at ~4 to 5 kilo-electron volts. These results are consistent with a model in which thermal radiation from the magnetar surface is reprocessed by scattering off charged particles in the magnetosphere.
