Astrophys. Space Sci. Trans., 7, 43-47, 2011
www.astrophys-space-sci-trans.net/7/43/2011/
doi:10.5194/astra-7-43-2011
© Author(s) 2011. This work is distributed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
 
03 Feb 2011
POLAR: A Space-borne X-Ray Polarimeter for Transient Sources
S. Orsi on behalf of the POLAR collaboration
DPNC, 24 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, Université de Genève, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract. POLAR is a novel compact Compton X-ray polarimeter designed to measure the linear polarization of the prompt emission of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) and other strong transient sources such as soft gamma repeaters and solar flares in the energy range 50−500 keV. A detailed measurement of the polarization from astrophysical sources will lead to a better understanding of the source geometry and emission mechanisms. POLAR is expected to observe every year several GRBs with a minimum detectable polarization smaller than 10%, thanks to its large modulation factor, effective area, and field of view. POLAR consists of 1600 low-Z plastic scintillator bars, divided in 25 independent modular units, each read out by one flat-panel multi-anode photomultiplier. The design of POLAR is reviewed, and results of tests of one modular unit of the engineering and qualification model (EQM) of POLAR with synchrotron radiation are presented. After construction and testing of the full EQM, we will start building the flight model in 2011, in view of the launch foreseen in 2013.

Citation: S. Orsi on behalf of the POLAR collaboration: POLAR: A Space-borne X-Ray Polarimeter for Transient Sources, Astrophys. Space Sci. Trans., 7, 43-47, doi:10.5194/astra-7-43-2011, 2011.
 
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