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

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• 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
• Keywords: X線 / 偏光 / 望遠鏡 / 気球実験

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.

Free Research Field

X線天文学