What Is XPoSat, India’s First Polarimetry Mission?

Zaheer Hussain
May 29, 2023
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XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission, designed to investigate the dynamics of intense astronomical X-ray sources under harsh conditions. In low Earth orbit, the spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads. POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), the principal payload, will measure polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarisation) in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will provide spectroscopic data from 0.8 to 15 keV.

Why In The News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation Is Collaborating With The Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, An Autonomous Research Institute, To Build The X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) That Is Scheduled To Be Launched Later This Year.
Recently, ISRO Chairman S Somanath Urged Indian Scientific Institutions To Identify Talented Students And Take Steps To Motivate Them In Effectively Using The Data Emerging From Science-Based Space Missions. He Mentioned The XPoSat In This Regard.

Polarimetry Studies:

The Field Of Polarimetry Studies The Measurement Of The Angle Of Rotation Of The Plane Of Polarized Light (That Is, A Beam Of Light In Which The Vibrations Of The Electromagnetic Waves Are Confined To One Plane) That Results Upon Its Passage Through Certain Transparent Materials.
The Emission Mechanism From Various Astronomical Sources Such As Black Holes, Neutron Stars, Active Galactic Nuclei, Pulsar Wind Nebulae Etc. Originates From Complex Physical Processes And Are Challenging To Understand.
Space-Based Observatories Are Also Unable To Give Information About The Exact Nature Of The Emission From Such Sources. Therefore, Newer Devices Can Measure Specific Properties.

How Are X-Rays Witnessed In Space?

X-Rays Have Much Higher Energy And Much Shorter Wavelengths, Between 0.03 And 3 Nanometers, So Small That Some X-rays Are No Bigger Than A Single Atom Of Many Elements. The Physical Temperature Of An Object Determines The Wavelength Of The Radiation It Emits.
The Hotter The Object, The Shorter The Wavelength Of Peak Emission. X-rays Come From Objects That Are Millions Of Degrees Celsius – Such As Pulsars, Galactic Supernova Remnants, And Black Holes.

What Is The XPoSat Mission?

XPoSat Will Study Various Dynamics Of Bright Astronomical X-ray Sources In Extreme Conditions.
It Has Been Billed As India’s First, And Only The World’s Second Polarimetry Mission That Is Meant To Study Various Dynamics Of Bright Astronomical X-Ray Sources In Extreme Conditions.
The Other Such Major Mission Is NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Which Was Launched In 2021.

What Is XPoSat Indias First Polarimetry Mission

NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE):

IXPE Carries 3 State-of-the-art Space Telescopes.
Each Of The Three Identical Telescopes Hosts One Light-weight X-ray Mirror And One Detector Unit.
These Will Help Observe Polarized X-rays From Neutron Stars And Supermassive Black Holes.
By Measuring The Polarization Of These X-rays, We Can Study Where The Light Came From And Understand The Geometry And Inner Workings Of The Light Source.

What Are XPoSat’s Payloads?

The Spacecraft Will Carry Two Scientific Payloads In A Low Earth Orbit. The Primary Payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument In X-rays) Will Measure The Polarimetry Parameters (Degree And Angle Of Polarization).
POLIX Is Expected To Observe About 40 Bright Astronomical Sources Of Different Categories During The Planned Lifetime Of The XPoSat Mission Of About 5 Years. This Is The First Payload In The Medium X-ray Energy Band Dedicated For Polarimetry Measurements.
The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy And Timing) Payload Will Give Spectroscopic Information (On How Light Is Absorbed And Emitted By Objects). It Would Observe Several Types Of Sources, Such As X-ray Pulsars, Blackhole Binaries, Low-magnetic Field Neutron Star, Etc.

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