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Article Dans Une Revue Astron.J. Année : 2020

Feasibility of Observing Gamma-ray Polarization from Cygnus X-1 Using a CubeSat

Chien-Ying Yang
  • Fonction : Auteur
Yi-Chi Chang
  • Fonction : Auteur
Hung-Hsiang Liang
  • Fonction : Auteur
Che-Yen Chu
  • Fonction : Auteur
Jr-Yue Hsiang
  • Fonction : Auteur
Jeng-Lun Chiu
  • Fonction : Auteur
Chih-Hsun Lin
  • Fonction : Auteur
Hsiang-Kuang Chang
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Instruments flown on CubeSats are small. Meaningful applications of CubeSats in astronomical observations rely on the choice of a particular subject that is feasible for CubeSats. Here we report the result of a feasibility study for observing gamma-ray polarization from Cygnus X-1 using a small Compton polarimeter on board a 3U CubeSat. Silicon detectors and cerium bromide scintillators were employed in the instrument models that we discuss in this study. Through Monte Carlo simulations with a Geant4-based MEGAlib package, we found that, with a 10 Ms on-axis, zenith-direction observation in a low-inclination, low-altitude, Earth-orbit radiation background environment, the minimum detectable polarization degree can be down to about 10% in 160–250 keV, 20% in 250–400 keV, and 65% in 400–2000 keV. A 3U CubeSat dedicated to observing Cygnus X-1 can therefore yield useful information on the polarization state of gamma-ray emissions from the brightest persistent X-ray black hole binary in the sky.

Dates et versions

hal-02416913 , version 1 (17-12-2019)

Identifiants

Citer

Chien-Ying Yang, Yi-Chi Chang, Hung-Hsiang Liang, Che-Yen Chu, Jr-Yue Hsiang, et al.. Feasibility of Observing Gamma-ray Polarization from Cygnus X-1 Using a CubeSat. Astron.J., 2020, 160 (1), pp.54. ⟨10.3847/1538-3881/ab9caf⟩. ⟨hal-02416913⟩
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