Hard X-ray polarimetry balloon observations to examine non-thermal emission

• Project/Area Number: 24340039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Astronomy
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Kunieda Hideyo 名古屋大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00126856)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAHARA Yuzuru 名古屋大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (10135296) ; MATSUMOTO Hironori 名古屋大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (90311365) ; HABA Yoshito 愛知教育大学, 教育学部, 講師 (60377950)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥18,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,170,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000)
• Keywords: X線 / 偏光 / 望遠鏡 / 気球実験 / 気球観測 / X線天文学 / X線望遠鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to confirm the non-thermal X-ray emission from accelerated particles, hard X-ray (20-60 keV) imaging polarimetry balloon experiment "X-Calibur" was performed with groups in USA. Hard X-ray telescope and a day time star camera were developed by Nagoya University. Gondola was prepared by a NASA group, and the polarimeter was developed by a group of Washington University. In 2013, flight was not done because of bad wind condition in the launch window. In September 2014, the flight was successfully performed for 9.5 hours. Though the star camera worked well, pointing observation was not possible. The detector detected X-ray sky background and the observed counting rate was close to expected one after the noise reduction logics. Based on the present flight, next flight in September 2016 and a proposal of polarimetry satellite mission are being considered.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Washington University in St. Louis(米国)
• [Journal Article] X-ray polarimetry with the Polarization Spectroscopic Telescope Array (PolSTAR) (2016)
  • Author(s): Krawczynski, H., Stern, D., Harrison, F., Matsumoto, H. et al.
  • Journal Title: Astroparticle Physics Volume: 75 Pages: 8-41
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2015.10.009
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] A Detailed Study of Non-thermal X-Ray Properties and Interstellar Gas toward the γ-Ray Supernova Remnant RX J1713.7–3946 (2015)
  • Author(s): H.Sano, T.Fukuda, S.Yoshiike, Y.Fukui・・・他18名
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Volume: 799 Issue: 2 Pages: 175-175
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/799/2/175
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Development of an x-ray telescope using the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) (2015)
  • Author(s): H. Matsumoto, T. Iwase, M. Maejima, H. Awaki, H. Kunieda, N. Ishida, S. Sugita, T. Miyazawa, N. Shima,I. Mitsuishi, & Y. Tawara
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the SPIE Volume: 9603 Pages: 1-7
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2190762
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Development of an x-ray telescope with a large effective area for the iron K line band (2015)
  • Author(s): Matsumoto, H., Tachibana, S., Yoshikawa, S., Tamura, K., Mori, H., Yamashita, K., Mitsuishi, I., Tawara, Y., Kunieda, H.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the SPIE Volume: 9603 Pages: 1-8
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2190591
• [Journal Article] Hard x-ray telescopes to be onboard ASTRO-H (2014)
  • Author(s): Hisamitsu Awaki, Hideyo Kunieda, et al.
  • Journal Title: Applied Optics Volume: 53 Pages: 7664-7676
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Future of High-energy Astrophysics in Japan (2015)
  • Author(s): Matsumoto, H.
  • Organizer: HEAD
  • Place of Presentation: Chicago
  • Year and Date: 2015-06-29
• [Presentation] The Hard X-ray Polarimeter X-Calibur - Astrophysical Motivation and Performance (2013)
  • Author(s): Beilicke
  • Organizer: American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #13
  • Place of Presentation: Monterey, CA, USA
• [Presentation] X線気球観測実験X-Caliburの現状 (2013)
  • Author(s): 佐治 重孝
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会2013年秋季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
• [Remarks] 名古屋大学大学院理学研究科宇宙物理学研究室X線グループ
  • URL: http://www.u.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/uxgj.html
• [Remarks] U研X線グループ
  • URL: http://www.u.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/uxgj.html
• [Remarks] 名古屋大学大学院理学研究科宇宙物理学研究室Ｘ線天文学グループ
  • URL: http://www.u.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/uxgj.html
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.u.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/uxgj.html