IXPE Observations of the Quintessential Wind-accreting X-Ray Pulsar Vela X-1
Authors: Forsblom Sofia V. , Poutanen Juri , Tsygankov Sergey S. , Bachetti Matteo , Marco Alessandro Di , Doroshenko Victor , Heyl Jeremy , Monaca Fabio La , Malacaria Christian , Marshall Herman L. , Muleri Fabio , Mushtukov Alexander A. , Pilia Maura , Rogantini Daniele , Suleimanov Valery F. , Taverna Roberto , Xie Fei , Agudo Iván , Antonelli Lucio A. , Baldini Luca , Baumgartner Wayne H. , Bellazzini Ronaldo , Bianchi Stefano , Bongiorno Stephen D. , Bonino Raffaella , Brez Alessandro , Bucciantini Niccolò , Capitanio Fiamma , Castellano Simone , Cavazzuti Elisabetta , Chen Chien-Ting , Ciprini Stefano , Costa Enrico , De Rosa Alessandra , Del Monte Ettore , Di Gesu Laura , Di Lalla Niccolò , Donnarumma Immacolata , Dovčiak Michal , Ehlert Steven R. , Enoto Teruaki , Evangelista Yuri , Fabiani Sergio , Ferrazzoli Riccardo , Garcia Javier A. , Gunji Shuichi , Hayashida Kiyoshi , Iwakiri Wataru , Jorstad Svetlana G. , Kaaret Philip , Karas Vladimir , Kitaguchi Takao , Kolodziejczak Jeffery J. , Krawczynski Henric , Latronico Luca , Liodakis Ioannis , Maldera Simone , Manfreda Alberto , Marin Frédéric , Marinucci Andrea , Marscher Alan P. , Matt Giorgio , Mitsuishi Ikuyuki , Mizuno Tsunefumi , Negro Michela , Ng Chi-Yung , O’Dell Stephen L. , Omodei Nicola , Oppedisano Chiara , Papitto Alessandro , Pavlov George G. , Peirson Abel L. , Perri Matteo , Pesce-Rollins Melissa , Petrucci Pierre-Olivier , Possenti Andrea , Puccetti Simonetta , Ramsey Brian D. , Rankin John , Ratheesh Ajay , Roberts Oliver J. , Romani Roger W. , Sgrò Carmelo , Slane Patrick , Soffitta Paolo , Spandre Gloria , Sunyaev Rashid A. , Swartz Douglas A. , Tamagawa Toru , Tavecchio Fabrizio , Tawara Yuzuru , Tennant Allyn F. , Thomas Nicholas E. , Tombesi Francesco , Trois Alessio , Turolla Roberto , Vink Jacco , Weisskopf Martin C. , Wu Kinwah , Zane Silvia ,   IXPE Collaboration
Published: April 2023

The radiation from accreting X-ray pulsars was expected to be highly polarized, with some estimates for the polarization degree of up to 80%. However, phase-resolved and energy-resolved polarimetry of X-ray pulsars is required in order to test different models and to shed light on the emission processes and the geometry of the emission region. Here we present the first results of the observations of the accreting X-ray pulsar Vela X-1 performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. Vela X-1 is considered to be the archetypal example of a wind-accreting, high-mass X-ray binary system, consisting of a highly magnetized neutron star accreting matter from its supergiant stellar companion. The spectropolarimetric analysis of the phase-averaged data for Vela X-1 reveals a polarization degree (PD) of 2.3% ± 0.4% at the polarization angle (PA) of −47.°3 ± 5.°4. A low PD is consistent with the results obtained for other X-ray pulsars and is likely related to the inverse temperature structure of the neutron star atmosphere. The energy-resolved analysis shows the PD above 5 keV reaching 6%–10% and a ∼90° difference in the PA compared to the data in the 2–3 keV range. The phase-resolved spectropolarimetric analysis finds a PD in the range 0%–9% with the PA varying between −80° and 40°.