IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed for the first time highly polarized X-ray emission from the magnetar 1E 1841−045, targeted after a burst-active phase in 2024 August. To date, IXPE has observed four other magnetars during quiescent periods, highlighting substantially different...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adbffb |
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| author | Michela Rigoselli Roberto Taverna Sandro Mereghetti Roberto Turolla Gian Luca Israel Silvia Zane Lorenzo Marra Fabio Muleri Alice Borghese Francesco Coti Zelati Davide De Grandis Matteo Imbrogno Ruth M. E. Kelly Paolo Esposito Nanda Rea |
| author_facet | Michela Rigoselli Roberto Taverna Sandro Mereghetti Roberto Turolla Gian Luca Israel Silvia Zane Lorenzo Marra Fabio Muleri Alice Borghese Francesco Coti Zelati Davide De Grandis Matteo Imbrogno Ruth M. E. Kelly Paolo Esposito Nanda Rea |
| author_sort | Michela Rigoselli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed for the first time highly polarized X-ray emission from the magnetar 1E 1841−045, targeted after a burst-active phase in 2024 August. To date, IXPE has observed four other magnetars during quiescent periods, highlighting substantially different polarization properties. 1E 1841−045 exhibits a high, energy-dependent polarization degree, which increases monotonically from ≈15% at 2–3 keV up to ≈55% at 5.5–8 keV, while the polarization angle, aligned with the celestial north, remains fairly constant. The broadband spectrum (2–79 keV) obtained by combining simultaneous IXPE and NuSTAR data is well modeled by a blackbody and two power-law components. The unabsorbed 2–8 keV flux (≈2 × 10 ^−11 erg cm ^−2 s ^−1 ) is about 10% higher than that obtained from archival XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations. The polarization of the soft, thermal component does not exceed ≈25%, and may be produced by a condensed surface or a bombarded atmosphere. The intermediate power law is polarized at around 30%, consistent with predictions for resonant Compton scattering in the star magnetosphere; meanwhile, the hard power law exhibits a polarization degree exceeding 65%, pointing to a synchrotron/curvature origin. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e65bc747dffe4f90982901c97615a9ba |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-e65bc747dffe4f90982901c97615a9ba2025-08-20T03:21:56ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019852L3410.3847/2041-8213/adbffbIXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045Michela Rigoselli0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6641-5450Roberto Taverna1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1768-618XSandro Mereghetti2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3259-7801Roberto Turolla3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3977-8760Gian Luca Israel4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5480-6438Silvia Zane5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5326-880XLorenzo Marra6https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4644-194XFabio Muleri7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3331-3794Alice Borghese8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8785-5922Francesco Coti Zelati9https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7611-1581Davide De Grandis10https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5438-0908Matteo Imbrogno11https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8688-9784Ruth M. E. Kelly12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5004-3573Paolo Esposito13https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4849-5092Nanda Rea14https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2177-6388INAF , Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, via Brera 28, I-20121 Milano, Italy ; michela.rigoselli@inaf.it; INAF , Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano, via Corti 12, I-20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova , Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova, ItalyINAF , Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano, via Corti 12, I-20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova , Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova, Italy; Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London , Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UKINAF , Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00078 Monteporzio Catone, ItalyMullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London , Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UKDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Padova , Via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova, ItalyINAF , Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, ItalyEuropean Space Agency (ESA) , European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), Camino Bajo del Castillo s/n, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, SpainInstitute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC) , Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans s/n, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) , 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), SpainInstitute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC) , Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans s/n, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) , 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), SpainINAF , Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, I-00078 Monteporzio Catone, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata , Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133, Rome, ItalyMullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London , Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT, UKScuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia , Palazzo del Broletto, piazza della Vittoria 15, I-27100 Pavia, ItalyInstitute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC) , Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans s/n, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) , 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), SpainThe Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed for the first time highly polarized X-ray emission from the magnetar 1E 1841−045, targeted after a burst-active phase in 2024 August. To date, IXPE has observed four other magnetars during quiescent periods, highlighting substantially different polarization properties. 1E 1841−045 exhibits a high, energy-dependent polarization degree, which increases monotonically from ≈15% at 2–3 keV up to ≈55% at 5.5–8 keV, while the polarization angle, aligned with the celestial north, remains fairly constant. The broadband spectrum (2–79 keV) obtained by combining simultaneous IXPE and NuSTAR data is well modeled by a blackbody and two power-law components. The unabsorbed 2–8 keV flux (≈2 × 10 ^−11 erg cm ^−2 s ^−1 ) is about 10% higher than that obtained from archival XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations. The polarization of the soft, thermal component does not exceed ≈25%, and may be produced by a condensed surface or a bombarded atmosphere. The intermediate power law is polarized at around 30%, consistent with predictions for resonant Compton scattering in the star magnetosphere; meanwhile, the hard power law exhibits a polarization degree exceeding 65%, pointing to a synchrotron/curvature origin.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adbffbMagnetarsPolarimetryX-ray sources |
| spellingShingle | Michela Rigoselli Roberto Taverna Sandro Mereghetti Roberto Turolla Gian Luca Israel Silvia Zane Lorenzo Marra Fabio Muleri Alice Borghese Francesco Coti Zelati Davide De Grandis Matteo Imbrogno Ruth M. E. Kelly Paolo Esposito Nanda Rea IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 The Astrophysical Journal Letters Magnetars Polarimetry X-ray sources |
| title | IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 |
| title_full | IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 |
| title_fullStr | IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 |
| title_full_unstemmed | IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 |
| title_short | IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045 |
| title_sort | ixpe detection of highly polarized x rays from the magnetar 1e 1841 045 |
| topic | Magnetars Polarimetry X-ray sources |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adbffb |
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