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arXiv · 1906.01647

Prospects for Detecting X-ray Polarization in Blazar Jets

I. Liodakis·A. L. Peirson·R. W. Romani
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Abstract

X-ray polarization should provide new probes of magnetic field geometry and acceleration physics near the base of blazar jets, but near-future missions will have limited sensitivity. We thus use existing lower energy data and X-ray variability measurements in the context of a basic synchro-Compton model to predict the X-ray polarization level and the probability of detection success for individual sources, listing the most attractive candidates for an IXPE campaign. We find that, as expected, several high-peak blazars such as Mrk 421 can be easily measured in 100 ksec exposures. Most low peak sources should only be accessible to triggered campaigns during bright flares. Surprisingly, a few intermediate peak sources can have anomalously high X-ray polarization and thus are attractive targets.

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I. Liodakis, A. L. Peirson, R. W. Romani. 2019-06-04. Prospects for Detecting X-ray Polarization in Blazar Jets. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab2719

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