Instrumentation seminar
The PoGOLite pathfinder mission for balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimetry
by
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Europe/Stockholm
FA31
FA31
Description
In the 50 years since the advent of X-ray astronomy there have been many
scientific advances due to the development of new experimental
techniques for detecting and characterising X-rays. Observations of
X-ray polarisation has, however, not undergone a similar development.
This is a major shortcoming since a plethora of open questions related
to the science of X-ray sources and issues in fundamental physics could
be resolved through measurements of the linear polarisation of emitted
X-rays. PoGOLite is a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter operating in
the 25 - 100 keV energy band. The PoGOLite pathfinder mission was
launched from the Esrange Space Center in July 2013 on a circumpolar
flight which lasted 2 weeks. The PoGOLite pathfinder mission will be
reviewed and the outcome of the 2013 flight discussed.