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Neutron Stars and Pulsars pp 589–619Cite as

X-Ray Polarimetry and Its Potential Use for Understanding Neutron Stars

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Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 357))

In this Chapter we discuss the history and the potential scientific impact of X-ray polarimetry for the study of neutron stars. Despite major progress in X-ray imaging, spectroscopy, and timing, there have been only modest attempts at X-ray polarime-try. Indeed, the last such dedicated experiment, conducted by one of us over three decades ago, had such limited observing time and sensitivity that even ̃10%° of polarization would not have been detected from some of the brightest X-ray sources in the sky, and statistically significant X-ray polarization was detected in only one of the brightest celestial X-ray sources, the Crab Nebula. Radio and optical astronomers use polarimetry extensively to probe the radiation physics and the geometry of sources. Sensitive X-ray polarimetry promises to reveal unique and crucial information about physical processes and structure of neutron stars (and indeed all classes of X-ray sources). X-ray polarimetry remains the last undeveloped tool for the X-ray study of astronomical objects and needs to be properly exploited.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, VP62, Huntsville, AL, 35812, USA

    Martin C. Weisskopf, Ronald F. Elsner, Stephen L. O'Dell & Brain D. Ramsey

  2. Rutherford Physics Building, McGill University Physics Department, 3600 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2T8, Canada

    Victoria M. Kaspi

  3. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Penn State University, 525 Davey Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    George G. Pavlov

Authors
  1. Martin C. Weisskopf
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  2. Ronald F. Elsner
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  6. Brain D. Ramsey
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin C. Weisskopf .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. MaxPlanckInstitut fur Extraterrestische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, Garching, 85741, Germany

    Werner Becker

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Weisskopf, M.C., Elsner, R.F., Kaspi, V.M., O'Dell, S.L., Pavlov, G.G., Ramsey, B.D. (2009). X-Ray Polarimetry and Its Potential Use for Understanding Neutron Stars. In: Becker, W. (eds) Neutron Stars and Pulsars. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 357. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-76965-1_22

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