X-ray polarimetry of the accreting pulsar GX 301−2

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985815%3A_____%2F23%3A00582174" target="_blank" >RIV/67985815:_____/23:00582174 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0350253" target="_blank" >https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0350253</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346994" target="_blank" >10.1051/0004-6361/202346994</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

X-ray polarimetry of the accreting pulsar GX 301−2

Original language description

The phase- and energy-resolved polarization measurements of accreting X-ray pulsars (XRPs) allow us to test different theoretical models of their emission, and they also provide an avenue to determine the emission region geometry. We present the results of the observations of the XRP GX 301−2 performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). A persistent XRP, GX 301−2 has one of the longest spin periods known: ∼680 s. A massive hyper-giant companion star Wray 977 supplies mass to the neutron star via powerful stellar winds. We did not detect significant polarization in the phase-averaged data when using spectro-polarimetric analysis, with the upper limit on the polarization degree (PD) of 2.3% (99% confidence level). Using the phase-resolved spectro-polarimetric analysis, we obtained a significant detection of polarization (above 99% confidence level) in two out of nine phase bins and a marginal detection in three bins, with a PD ranging between ∼3% and ∼10% and a polarization angle varying in a very wide range from ∼0° to ∼160°. Using the rotating vector model, we obtained constraints on the pulsar geometry using both phase-binned and unbinned analyses, finding excellent agreement. Finally, we discuss possible reasons for a low observed polarization in GX 301−2.n

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)

Project

—

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

Name of the periodical

Astronomy & Astrophysics

ISSN

0004-6361

e-ISSN

1432-0746

Volume of the periodical

678

Issue of the periodical within the volume

October

Country of publishing house

FR - FRANCE

Number of pages

10

Pages from-to

A119

UT code for WoS article

001100987600010

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85178082140