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We present the IXPE observation of GRB 221009A, which includes upper limits on the linear polarization degree of both prompt and afterglow emission in the soft X-ray energy band. GRB 221009A is an exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst (GRB) that reached Earth on 2022 October 9 after traveling through the dust of the Milky Way. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) pointed at GRB 221009A on October 11 to observe, for the first time, the 2-8 keV X-ray polarization of a GRB afterglow. We set an upper limit to the polarization degree of the afterglow emission of 13.8% at a 99% confidence level. This result provides constraints on the jet opening angle and the viewing angle of the GRB, or alternatively, other properties of the emission region. Additionally, IXPE captured halo-rings of dust-scattered photons that are echoes of the GRB prompt emission. The 99% confidence level upper limit to the prompt polarization degree depends on the background model assumption, and it ranges between ∼55% and ∼82%. This single IXPE pointing provides both the first assessment of X-ray polarization of a GRB afterglow and the first GRB study with polarization observations of both the prompt and afterglow phases.

The IXPE View of GRB 221009A

Negro M.;Di Lalla N.;Omodei N.;Veres P.;Silvestri S.;Manfreda A.;Burns E.;Baldini L.;Costa E.;Ehlert S. R.;Kennea J. A.;Liodakis I.;Marshall H. L.;Mereghetti S.;Middei R.;Muleri F.;O'Dell S. L.;Roberts O. J.;Romani R. W.;Sgro C.;Terashima M.;Tiengo A.;Viscolo D.;Di Marco A.;La Monaca F.;Latronico L.;Matt G.;Perri M.;Puccetti S.;Poutanen J.;Ratheesh A.;Rogantini D.;Slane P.;Soffitta P.;Lindfors E.;Nilsson K.;Kasikov A.;Marscher A. P.;Tavecchio F.;Cibrario N.;Gunji S.;Malacaria C.;Paggi A.;Yang Y. -J.;Zane S.;Weisskopf M. C.;Agudo I.;Antonelli L. A.;Bachetti M.;Baumgartner W. H.;Bellazzini R.;Bianchi S.;Bongiorno S. D.;Bonino R.;Brez A.;Bucciantini N.;Capitanio F.;Castellano S.;Cavazzuti E.;Chen C. -T.;Ciprini S.;De Rosa A.;Del Monte E.;Di Gesu L.;Donnarumma I.;Doroshenko V.;Dovciak M.;Enoto T.;Evangelista Y.;Fabiani S.;Ferrazzoli R.;Garcia J. A.;Hayashida K.;Heyl J.;Iwakiri W.;Jorstad S. G.;Kaaret P.;Karas V.;Kislat F.;Kitaguchi T.;Kolodziejczak J. J.;Krawczynski H.;Maldera S.;Marin F.;Marinucci A.;Mitsuishi I.;Mizuno T.;Ng C. -Y.;Oppedisano C.;Papitto A.;Pavlov G. G.;Peirson A. L.;Pesce-Rollins M.;Petrucci P. -O.;Pilia M.;Possenti A.;Ramsey B. D.;Rankin J.;Spandre G.;Swartz D. A.;Tamagawa T.;Taverna R.;Tawara Y.;Tennant A. F.;Thomas N. E.;Tombesi F.;Trois A.;Tsygankov S. S.;Turolla R.;Vink J.;Wu K.;Xie F.

2023-01-01

Abstract

We present the IXPE observation of GRB 221009A, which includes upper limits on the linear polarization degree of both prompt and afterglow emission in the soft X-ray energy band. GRB 221009A is an exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst (GRB) that reached Earth on 2022 October 9 after traveling through the dust of the Milky Way. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) pointed at GRB 221009A on October 11 to observe, for the first time, the 2-8 keV X-ray polarization of a GRB afterglow. We set an upper limit to the polarization degree of the afterglow emission of 13.8% at a 99% confidence level. This result provides constraints on the jet opening angle and the viewing angle of the GRB, or alternatively, other properties of the emission region. Additionally, IXPE captured halo-rings of dust-scattered photons that are echoes of the GRB prompt emission. The 99% confidence level upper limit to the prompt polarization degree depends on the background model assumption, and it ranges between ∼55% and ∼82%. This single IXPE pointing provides both the first assessment of X-ray polarization of a GRB afterglow and the first GRB study with polarization observations of both the prompt and afterglow phases.

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Scheda completa

Scheda completa (DC)

	Anno
	
			2023
		
	Titolo rivista
	
			THE ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
		
	N. Volume
	
			946
		
	Fascicolo
	
			1
		
	Pagine (da)
	
			1
		
	Pagine (a)
	
			21
		
	DOI
	
			https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acba17
		
	URL del prodotto (archivi open access, fulltext su sito editore, etc.)
	
			https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.01798
		
	Tutti gli autori
	
			Negro M.; Di Lalla N.; Omodei N.; Veres P.; Silvestri S.; Manfreda A.; Burns E.; Baldini L.; Costa E.; Ehlert S.R.; Kennea J.A.; Liodakis I.; Marshall H.L.; Mereghetti S.; Middei R.; Muleri F.; O'Dell S.L.; Roberts O.J.; Romani R.W.; Sgro C.; Terashima M.; Tiengo A.; Viscolo D.; Di Marco A.; La Monaca F.; Latronico L.; Matt G.; Perri M.; Puccetti S.; Poutanen J.; Ratheesh A.; Rogantini D.; Slane P.; Soffitta P.; Lindfors E.; Nilsson K.; Kasikov A.; Marscher A.P.; Tavecchio F.; Cibrario N.; Gunji S.; Malacaria C.; Paggi A.; Yang Y.-J.; Zane S.; Weisskopf M.C.; Agudo I.; Antonelli L.A.; Bachetti M.; Baumgartner W.H.; Bellazzini R.; Bianchi S.; Bongiorno S.D.; Bonino R.; Brez A.; Bucciantini N.; Capitanio F.; Castellano S.; Cavazzuti E.; Chen C.-T.; Ciprini S.; De Rosa A.; Del Monte E.; Di Gesu L.; Donnarumma I.; Doroshenko V.; Dovciak M.; Enoto T.; Evangelista Y.; Fabiani S.; Ferrazzoli R.; Garcia J.A.; Hayashida K.; Heyl J.; Iwakiri W.; Jorstad S.G.; Kaaret P.; Karas V.; Kislat F.; Kitaguchi T.; Kolodziejczak J.J.; Krawczynski H.; Maldera S.; Marin F.; Marinucci A.; Mitsuishi I.; Mizuno T.; Ng C.-Y.; Oppedisano C.; Papitto A.; Pavlov G.G.; Peirson A.L.; Pesce-Rollins M.; Petrucci P.-O.; Pilia M.; Possenti A.; Ramsey B.D.; Rankin J.; Spandre G.; Swartz D.A.; Tamagawa T.; Taverna R.; Tawara Y.; Tennant A.F.; Thomas N.E.; Tombesi F.; Trois A.; Tsygankov S.S.; Turolla R.; Vink J.; Wu K.; Xie F.
		
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			03A-Articolo su Rivista

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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1941830

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