Abstract
POET (Polarimeters for Energetic Transients) represents a concept for a Small Explorer (SMEX) satellite mission, whose principal scientific goal is to understand the structure of GRB sources through sensitive X‐ray and γ‐ray polarization measurements. The payload consists of two wide field‐of‐view (FoV) instruments: a Low Energy Polarimeter (LEP) capable of polarization measurements in the energy range from 2–15 keV and a high energy polarimeter (Gamma‐Ray Polarimeter Experiment or GRAPE) that would measure polarization in the 60–500 keV energy range. The POET spacecraft provides a zenith‐pointed platform for maximizing the exposure to deep space. Spacecraft rotation provides a means of effectively dealing with any residual systematic effects in the polarization response. POET provides sufficient sensitivity and sky coverage to measure statistically significant polarization (for polarization levels in excess of 20%) for ∼80 GRBs in a two‐year mission. High energy polarization data would also be obtained for SGRs, solar flares, pulsars and other sources of astronomical interest.
Department
Space Science Center, Physics
Publication Date
2009
Journal Title
AIP Conference Proceedings
Publisher
AIP Publishing
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3155969
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Recommended Citation
GRB Polarimetry with POET McConnell, M. L. and Angelini, L. and Baring, M. G. and Barthelmy, S. and Black, J. K. and Bloser, P. F. and Dennis, B. and Emslie, A. G. and Greiner, J. and Hajdas, W. and Harding, A. K. and Hartmann, D. H. and Hill, J. E. and Ioka, K. and Kaaret, P. and Kanbach, G. and Kniffen, D. and Legere, J. S. and Macri, J. R. and Morris, R. and Nakamura, T. and Produit, N. and Ryan, J. M. and Sakamoto, T. and Toma, K. and Wu, X. and Yamazaki, R. and Zhang, B., AIP Conference Proceedings, 1133, 64-66 (2009), DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3155969