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An IXPE-led X-Ray Spectropolarimetric Campaign on the Soft State of Cygnus X-1: X-Ray Polarimetric Evidence for Strong Gravitational Lensing
Center for Astrophysics ∣ Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA;, 60 Garden Street.
KTH, Centres, Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics NORDITA. Nordita SU; Department of Physics and Astronomy, 20014 University of Turku, Finland; Nordita, Stockholm University, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5767-7253
INAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100; Guangxi Key Laboratory for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, People's Republic of China.
Number of Authors: 1372024 (English)In: Astrophysical Journal Letters, ISSN 2041-8205, E-ISSN 2041-8213, Vol. 969, no 2, article id L30Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

We present the first X-ray spectropolarimetric results for Cygnus X-1 in its soft state from a campaign of five IXPE observations conducted during 2023 May-June. Companion multiwavelength data during the campaign are likewise shown. The 2-8 keV X-rays exhibit a net polarization degree PD = 1.99% ± 0.13% (68% confidence). The polarization signal is found to increase with energy across the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer’s (IXPE) 2-8 keV bandpass. The polarized X-rays exhibit an energy-independent polarization angle of PA = −25.°7 ± 1.°8 east of north (68% confidence). This is consistent with being aligned to Cyg X-1’s au-scale compact radio jet and its parsec-scale radio lobes. In comparison to earlier hard-state observations, the soft state exhibits a factor of 2 lower polarization degree but a similar trend with energy and a similar (also energy-independent) position angle. When scaling by the natural unit of the disk temperature, we find the appearance of a consistent trend line in the polarization degree between the soft and hard states. Our favored polarimetric model indicates that Cyg X-1’s spin is likely high (a * ≳ 0.96). The substantial X-ray polarization in Cyg X-1's soft state is most readily explained as resulting from a large portion of X-rays emitted from the disk returning and reflecting off the disk surface, generating a high polarization degree and a polarization direction parallel to the black hole spin axis and radio jet. In IXPE’s bandpass, the polarization signal is dominated by the returning reflection emission. This constitutes polarimetric evidence for strong gravitational lensing of X-rays close to the black hole.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
American Astronomical Society , 2024. Vol. 969, no 2, article id L30
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-350976DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad58e4ISI: 001290658100001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85198249684OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-350976DiVA, id: diva2:1885651
Note

QC 20241025

Available from: 2024-07-24 Created: 2024-07-24 Last updated: 2024-10-25Bibliographically approved

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Veledina, Alexandra

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