Abstract
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 have, however, not undergone a similar development. This is a shortcoming since a plethora of open questions related to the nature of X-ray sources could be resolved through measurements of the linear polarisation of emitted X-rays. The PoGOLite Pathfinder is a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter operating in the 25-240 keV energy band from a stabilised observation platform. Polarisation is determined using coincident energy deposits in a segmented array of plastic scintillators surrounded by a BGO anticoincidence system and a polyethylene neutron shield. The PoGOLite Pathfinder was launched from the SSC Esrange Space Centre in July 2013. A near-circumpolar flight was achieved with a duration of approximately two weeks. The flight performance of the Pathfinder design is discussed for the three Crab observations conducted. The signal-to-background ratio for the observations is shown to be 0.25 ±0.03 and the Minimum Detectable Polarisation (99 % C.L.) is (28.4 ±2.2) %. A strategy for the continuation of the PoGOLite programme is outlined based on experience gained during the 2013 maiden flight.
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Notes
Future flights are likely to use the Sun itself as a tracking target. Star trackers were originally foreseen for a one day long maiden flight of PoGOLite planned for August and were retained when a long duration flight was pursued instead.
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Acknowledgments
The PoGOLite Collaboration acknowledges funding received from The Swedish National Space Board, The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, The Swedish Research Council and the Göran Gustafsson Foundation. The SSC Esrange Space Centre is thanked for their considerable support and expertise during the launch build-up and flight campaign of the PoGOLite Pathfinder. The government of the Russian Federation is thanked for permitting a circumpolar flight. Tim Thurston designed the PoGOLite mechanics which was primarily manufactured by the workshop at AlbaNova University Centre. Gilles Bogaert provided VM2000 for the scintillator array. All past members of the PoGOLite Collaboration not listed as authors on this paper are thanked for their important contributions to the development of the project.
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Chauvin, M., Florén, HG., Jackson, M. et al. The design and flight performance of the PoGOLite Pathfinder balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter. Exp Astron 41, 17–41 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-015-9474-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-015-9474-x