IXPE Detection of Highly Polarized X-Rays from the Magnetar 1E 1841-045

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed for the first time highly polarized X-ray emission from the magnetar 1E 1841−045, targeted after a burst-active phase in 2024 August. To date, IXPE has observed four other magnetars during quiescent periods, highlighting substantially different...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Rigoselli, Michela, Taverna, Roberto, Mereghetti, Sandro, Turolla, Roberto, Israel, Gian Luca, Zane, Silvia, Marra, Lorenzo, Muleri, Fabio, Borghese, Alice, Coti Zelati, Francesco, De Grandis, Davide, Imbrogno, Matteo, Kelly, Ruth M.E., Esposito, Paolo, Rea, Nanda
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repository:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/399960
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/399960
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105007091664
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Magnetars
Polarimetry
X-ray sources
http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/992
http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/1278
http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/1822
Description
Summary:The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed for the first time highly polarized X-ray emission from the magnetar 1E 1841−045, targeted after a burst-active phase in 2024 August. To date, IXPE has observed four other magnetars during quiescent periods, highlighting substantially different polarization properties. 1E 1841−045 exhibits a high, energy-dependent polarization degree, which increases monotonically from ≈15% at 2-3 keV up to ≈55% at 5.5-8 keV, while the polarization angle, aligned with the celestial north, remains fairly constant. The broadband spectrum (2-79 keV) obtained by combining simultaneous IXPE and NuSTAR data is well modeled by a blackbody and two power-law components. The unabsorbed 2-8 keV flux (≈2 × 10<sup>−11</sup> erg cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>) is about 10% higher than that obtained from archival XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations. The polarization of the soft, thermal component does not exceed ≈25%, and may be produced by a condensed surface or a bombarded atmosphere. The intermediate power law is polarized at around 30%, consistent with predictions for resonant Compton scattering in the star magnetosphere; meanwhile, the hard power law exhibits a polarization degree exceeding 65%, pointing to a synchrotron/curvature origin.

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