Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985815%3A_____%2F23%3A00569709" target="_blank" >RIV/67985815:_____/23:00569709 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189" target="_blank" >10.1093/mnras/stac3189</a>

Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer
Original language description
We report on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observation of the closest and X-ray brightest Compton-thick active galactic nucleus (AGN), the Circinus galaxy. We find the source to be significantly polarized in the 2-6 keV band. From previous studies, the X-ray spectrum is known to be dominated by reflection components, both neutral (torus) and ionized (ionization cones). Our analysis indicates that the polarization degree is 28 +/- 7 per cent (at 68 per cent confidence level) for the neutral reflector, with a polarization angle of 18 degrees +/- 5 degrees, roughly perpendicular to the radio jet. The polarization of the ionized reflection is unconstrained. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations of the polarization expected from the torus shows that the neutral reflector is consistent with being an equatorial torus with a half-opening angle of 45 degrees-55 degrees. This is the first X-ray polarization detection in a Seyfert galaxy, demonstrating the power of X-ray polarimetry in probing the geometry of the circumnuclear regions of AGNs, and confirming the basic predictions of standard Unification Models.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)

Project
<a href="/en/project/GX21-06825X" target="_blank" >GX21-06825X: Accreting Black Holes in the new era of X-ray polarimetry missions</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year
2023
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

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