Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Physics and Astronomy
Committee Chair
Don A. Gregory
Committee Member
Wayne Baumgartner
Committee Member
Jessica Gaskin
Committee Member
Massimiliano Bonamente
Subject(s)
X-ray telescopes--Calibration, X-rays--Sources, X-rays--Polarization
Abstract
The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is an X-ray telescope mission currently being built at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). IXPE will measure polarized X-rays in the 2-8 keV range and will reveal new information about astrophysical sources that produce polarized X-rays such as pulsars, AGN, magnetars, and supernovae remnants. Telescope calibration at MSFC's Stray Light Test Facility (SLTF) 100-m beamline requires a bright, highly polarized X-ray source. The design of the IXPE polarized sources for end-to-end telescope calibration allows for testing at three energies (Rh L_alpha at 2.7 keV, Ti K_alpha at 4.5 keV, and Fe K_alpha at 6.4 keV) and uses Bragg crystal reflection to produce polarized X-rays at these given energies. Beam shape, size, and flux results from laboratory testing polarized source configurations, simulations, and final testing at SLTF are consistent. Flux from these polarized X-ray sources is adequate for calibration. Different types of crystals produce different levels of flux and different beam shapes based on their inherent crystal structure. Measurements of the modulation factors for these polarized sources are ongoing.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Samantha, "Polarized x-ray sources for calibration of the IXPE polarization-sensitive telescopes" (2020). Theses. 347.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/347