The soft X-ray spectrometer polarimeter SolpeX

• Published in: Experimental astronomy Vol. 47; no. 1-2; pp. 199 - 223
• Main Authors: Sylwester, J., Stȩślicki, M., Bąkała, J., Płocieniak, S., Szaforz, Ż., Kowaliński, M., Ścisłowski, D., Podgórski, P., Mrozek, T., Barylak, J., Makowski, A., Siarkowski, M., Kordylewski, Z., Sylwester, B., Kuzin, S., Kirichenko, A., Pertsov, A., Bogachev, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-04-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astronomy; Bremsstrahlung; Chemistry and Earth Sciences; Computer Science; Emission spectra; Evaporation; International Space Station; Line spectra; Observations and Techniques; Original Article; Particle beams; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polarimeters; Soft x rays; Solar flares; Spacecraft components; Statistics for Engineering; X ray spectra; X ray spectrometers; Spectroscopy; Solar flares; Polarimetry; Soft X-rays
• ISSN: 0922-6435; 1572-9508
• DOI: 10.1007/s10686-018-09618-4

We present a novel X-ray assembly of functionally related instrument blocks intended to measure solar flare and active region (AR) spectra from within the Russian instrument complex KORTES, to be mounted aboard the
International Space Station
(
ISS
). SolpeX consists of three blocks: fast-rotating multiple flat crystal Bragg spectrometer, pin-hole X-ray spectral imager and Bragg polarimeter. This combination of measuring blocks will offer an opportunity to detect/measure possible X-ray polarization in soft X-ray emission lines/continuum and record spectra of solar flares, in particular during their impulsive phases. Polarized Bremsstrahlung and line emission may arise from presence of directed particle beams colliding with denser regions of flares. As a result of evaporation, the X-ray spectral-components are expected to be Doppler shifted, which will also be measured. In this paper, we present details of the construction of three SolpeX blocks and discuss their functionality. Delivery of KORTES with SolpeX to
ISS
is expected in 2020/2021.