Polarisation in X-ray astronomy
In the 40 years since discovery of the first cosmic X-ray source,
there has been tremendous progress in photometry, spectroscopy and
imaging observations of cosmic X-ray sources while X-ray polarimetry
has been the least explored. In the recent years there have been a
large improvement in sensitivity of X-ray polarisation measurements
in laboratory and several techniques now exist which have potential
for use in space. The field of X-ray polarimetry holds some of the
very important clues in high energy astrophysics and an X-ray
polarimeter mission will be very highly valued by the astrophysicists.
This project will have three different parts. (a) Study of physical
processes that give rise to polarisation in X-ray emitting
sources and estimation of X-ray polarisation from X-ray pulsars
based on known pulse profiles and spectral characteristics,
(b) Carry out simulations to optimise detector configurations for
different types of X-ray polarimeter detectors/telescopes, and
(c) Development of X-ray polarimeter detectors. The last part will
include fabrication, testing, and sensitivity measurement of a
Thompson scattering X-ray polarimeter detector and also an
ambitious goal of making a photo-electron tracking polarimeter.