Refereed journal article or data article (A1)
Polarized x-rays constrain the disk-jet geometry in the black hole x-ray binary Cygnus X-1
List of Authors: Krawczynski Henric, Muleri Fabio, Dovčiak Michal, Veledina Alexandra, Rodriguez Cavero Nicole, Svoboda Jiri, Ingram Adam, Matt Giorgio, Garcia Javier A., Loktev Vladislav, Negro Michela, Poutanen Juri, Kitaguchi Takao, Podgorný Jakub, Rankin John, Zhang Wenda, Berdyugin Andrei, Berdyugina Svetlana V., Bianchi Stefano, Blinov Dmitry, Capitanio Fiamma, Di Lalla Niccolò, Draghis Paul, Fabiani Sergio, Kagitani Masato, Kravtsov Vadim, Kiehlmann Sebastian, Latronico Luca, Lutovinov Alexander A., Mandarakas Nikos, Marin Frédéric, Marinucci Andrea, Miller Jon M., Mizuno Tsunefumi, Molkov Sergey V., Omodei Nicola, Petrucci Pierre-Olivier, Ratheesh Ajay, Sakanoi Takeshi, Semena Andrei N., Skalidis Raphael, Soffitta Paolo, Tennant Allyn F., Thalhammer Phillipp, Tombesi Francesco, Weisskopf Martin C., Wilms Joern, Zhang Sixuan, Agudo Iván, Antonelli Lucio A., Bachetti Matteo, Baldini Luca, Baumgartner Wayne H., Bellazzini Ronaldo, Bongiorno Stephen D., Bonino Raffaella, Brez Alessandro, Bucciantini Niccolò, Castellano Simone, Cavazzuti Elisabetta, Ciprini Stefano, Costa Enrico, De Rosa Alessandra, Del Monte Ettore, Di Gesu Laura, Di Marco Alessandro, Donnarumma Immacolata, Doroshenko Victor, Ehlert Steven R., Enoto Teruaki, Evangelista Yuri, Ferrazzoli Riccardo, Gunji Shuichi, Hayashida Kiyoshi, Heyl Jeremy, Iwakiri Wataru, Jorstad Svetlana G., Karas Vladimir, Kolodziejczak Jeffery J., La Monaca Fabio, Liodakis Ioannis, Maldera Simone, Manfreda Alberto, Marscher Alan P., Marshall Herman L., Mitsuishi Ikuyuki, Ng Chi-Yung, O’Dell Stephen L., Oppedisano Chiara, Papitto Alessandro, Pavlov George G., Peirson Abel L., Perri Matteo, Pesce-Rollins Melissa, Pilia Maura, Possenti Andrea, Puccetti Simonetta, Ramsey Brian D., Romani Roger W., Sgrò Carmelo, Slane Patrick, Spandre Gloria, Tamagawa Toru, Tavecchio Fabrizio, Taverna Roberto, Tawara Yuzuru, Thomas Nicholas E., Trois Alessio, Tsygankov Sergey, Turolla Roberto, Vink Jacco, Wu Kinwah, Xie Fei, Zane Silvia
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: 650
End page: 654
ISSN: 0036-8075
eISSN: 1095-9203
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.add5399
URL: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add5399
A black hole x-ray binary (XRB) system forms when gas is stripped from a normal star and accretes onto a black hole, which heats the gas sufficiently to emit x-rays. We report a polarimetric observation of the XRB Cygnus X-1 using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. The electric field position angle aligns with the outflowing jet, indicating that the jet is launched from the inner x-ray-emitting region. The polarization degree is 4.01 ± 0.20% at 2 to 8 kiloelectronvolts, implying that the accretion disk is viewed closer to edge-on than the binary orbit. These observations reveal that hot x-ray-emitting plasma is spatially extended in a plane perpendicular to, not parallel to, the jet axis.
