NASA’s IXPE studies X-ray polarization to reveal how high-energy jets in blazars like BL Lacertae are formed. By analyzing electron-photon interactions, IXPE helps uncover jet composition and magnetic field structures, deepening understanding of black holes and cosmic particle acceleration in extreme environments across the universe.
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NASA's IXPE uncovers how X-rays are generated in blazar jets by observing electron-photon interactions.
NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is an advanced space telescope launched on December 9, 2021, from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
It is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency, designed to study some of the universe’s most extreme objects—like black holes, neutron stars, and blazars.
Unlike other telescopes, IXPE specializes in measuring the polarization of X-ray light. Polarization is like the orientation of light waves, which reveals how particles and magnetic fields behave in high-energy environments.
IXPE’s ability to analyze X-ray polarization helps scientists understand the geometry, energy, and processes driving these mysterious objects.
Blazars are super-energetic cores of galaxies powered by supermassive black holes. These black holes ingest up surrounding matter, forming a swirling accretion disk—a flattened ring of gas and dust. From this disk, they shoot out powerful jets of particles traveling nearly at the speed of light.
BL Lacertae (BL Lac) is a famous blazar located in the Lacerta constellation, about 900 million light-years away. Discovered in 1929, it was initially mistaken for a variable star but later identified as a blazar.
BL Lac brightness and emissions change rapidly, making it a perfect target for studying extreme cosmic processes. Its variability and brightness make it a prime candidate for IXPE’s polarization studies, as it offers clues about how black hole jets work.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which of the following statements correctly describes the Big Bang Theory? A) The universe was created from a massive explosion within existing space. B) The universe began as a singularity and has been expanding ever since. C) The universe is eternal and undergoes continuous cycles of expansion and contraction. D) The Big Bang occurred at a specific point in time, but only affected a small part of the cosmos. Answer: B Explanation The Big Bang Theory is the leading scientific explanation for the origin of the universe. It suggests that the universe began as an extremely hot and dense point, known as a singularity, about 13.8 billion years ago. From this singularity, the universe expanded rapidly, creating space, time, matter, and energy. This expansion continues to this day, and the universe is constantly cooling and evolving. |
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