ISRO To Launch Its First X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite ‘XPoSat’ To Enhance Understanding In Astronomy

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) in December 2023. The satellite will be launched on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The mission’s goals are to: 

  • Improve understanding of astronomy 
  • Explore the polarization of intense X-ray sources 
  • Add a new dimension to space-based X-ray astronomy 

The mission is expected to last about five years. During this time, the satellite will observe X-ray sources as it passes through Earth’s shadow during eclipses. 

The satellite will use the following instruments: 

  • XSPECT An X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing instrument that provides fast timing and spectroscopic resolution for soft X-rays 
  • POLIX An instrument that provides long-duration observations for X-ray polarization measurement 

XPoSat will observe several types of sources, including: 

  • X-ray pulsars 
  • Blackhole binaries 
  • Low-magnetic field neutron stars 
  • AGNs 
  • Magnetars

X-ray polarimeter satellites study the polarization of X-ray emissions from astronomical sources. This helps scientists understand the physical properties of these sources, such as: 

  • Black holes 
  • Neutron stars 
  • Pulsars 
  • Active galactic nuclei (AGN) 

X-ray polarimetry can also test theories about birefringence effects. These effects are predicted by Loop Quantum Gravity and can be tested by observing distant polarized sources. 

XPoSat is the world’s second X-ray polarimetry mission. The first was NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), which launched in 2021.

X-ray payloads can be used to study: 

  • X-ray flares The Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) and the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) study X-ray flares from the Sun 
  • Interplanetary magnetic fields The Magnetometer payload measures interplanetary magnetic fields at the L1 point 
  • X-ray emission variations The Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) studies X-ray emission variations from sources like X-ray binaries and Active Galactic Nuclei 
  • X-ray polarization The primary payload of XPoSat, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), measures the degree and angle of polarization of X-ray sources 

X-rays have a shorter wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum. They are used to: 

  • Observe supernova remnants 
  • Study hot gases in galaxy clusters 
  • Observe black holes 
  • Observe neutron stars 
  • Capture human skeleton defects

The XPoSat spacecraft is designed for observation from Low Earth Orbit, with a non-sun synchronous orbit of approximately 650 km altitude and a low inclination of around six degrees. The mission boasts two scientific payloads, allowing for comprehensive studies of bright X-Ray sources

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has recently announced its ambitious plan to launch the country’s first X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat). This groundbreaking mission aims to delve into the polarization of intense X-Ray sources, introducing a novel dimension to X-Ray astronomy(full article source google)

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