Hard X-ray Polarimetry -- An overview of the method, science drivers and recent findings

Abstract

The last decade has seen a leapfrog in the interest in X-ray polarimetry with a number of new polarization measurements in hard X-rays from AstroSat, POLAR, GAP, and PoGO+. The measurements provide some interesting insights into various astrophysical phenomena such as coronal geometry and disk-jet connection in black hole X-ray binaries, hard X-ray emission mechanism in pulsars and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB). They also highlight an increase in polarization with energy which makes hard X-ray polarimetry extremely appealing. There is a number of confirmed hard X-ray polarimetry experiments which along with the existing instruments (AstroSat and INTEGRAL) makes this field further exciting. Polarization experiments may also see a significant progress in sensitivity with new developments in scintillator readouts, active pixel sensors, CZT detectors. In particular, the advent of hard X-ray focusing optics, will enable designing of compact focal plane polarimeters with a multifold enhancement in sensitivity. In this review, we will focus on the recent polarimetry findings, science potential of hard X-ray polarimetry along with possible improvements in the measurement techniques.