The First X-Ray Polarimetry of an Eclipsing Low-mass X-Ray Binary: Serendipitous IXPE Observation of AX J1745.6–2901
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We present the first X-ray polarimetric measurement of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary system AX J1745.6−2901 conducted by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite. This transient source, located within ∼1 . ′ 5 of the Galactic center, was observed serendipitously during a MAXI J1744−294 observation with a duration of 150 ks. The complex nature of the region in which AX J1745.6−2901 is located poses a challenge for studying its polarization. By performing a detailed analysis of the contamination from MAXI J1744−294 and the Galactic center diffuse emission, we find the source polarization degree PD = 14.7% ± 4.0% and polarization angle PA = 122° ± 8°. The phase-resolved analysis shows increase in polarization during the eclipse phase, with PD = 34.2% ± 8.7%, suggesting that the polarization-inducing mechanisms are of scattering nature, probably originating from disk winds.
Source: The Astrophysical Journal
Authors: Romana Mikušincová, Lorenzo Marra, Hemanth Manikantan, Stefano Bianchi, Fiamma Capitanio, Sudip Chakraborty, Raul Ciancarella, Enrico Costa, Nicolas De Angelis, Melania Del Santo, Sergio Fabiani, Riccardo Ferrazzoli, Vittoria E. Gianolli, Andrea Gnarini, Adam Ingram, Shifra Mandel, Guglielmo Mastroserio, Giorgio Matt, Kaya Mori, Fabio Muleri, Simone Pagliarella, Maxime Parra, P.O. Petrucci, Jakub Podgorný, Juri Poutanen, Swati Ravi, Paolo Soffitta, James F. Steiner, Antonella Tarana, Roberto Taverna, Francesco Ursini, Alexandra Veledina, Federico M. Vincentelli, Anastasiya Yilmaz, Barbara De Marco, Maitrayee Gupta, Vladislav Loktev, Thomas D. Russell, Jiří Svoboda, Francesco Tombesi, Shuo Zhang
Institutions: Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, National Institute for Astrophysics, Roma Tre University, Universities Space Research Association, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna, Brera Astronomical Observatory, Clemson University, Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Newcastle University, Columbia University, Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Sapienza University of Rome, Ehime University, Université Grenoble Alpes, Czech Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Institute, University of Turku, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, University of Padua, Stockholm University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, University of Southampton, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Astronomical Observatory of Rome, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Roma Tor Vergata, Michigan State University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,499
OpenAlex ID: W4417455718