15 MCQs on India's First X-ray Polarimeter Satellite

Ready to explore the cosmos? Test your knowledge with 15 MCQs on XPoSat, India's groundbreaking X-ray polarimeter satellite. Unravel mysteries of pulsars, black holes, and more!

1-What is XPoSat?

a. A space-based observatory for visible light b. India's first dedicated polarimetry mission for studying X-ray sources c. A satellite for monitoring Earth's climate d. A communication satellite for interplanetary signals

Answer: b

2-What is the primary payload for polarimetry in XPoSat? a. X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing (XSPECT) b. Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays (POLIX) c. Evolution of Instrumentation (EOI) d. X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPS)

Answer: b

3-What is the energy range covered by the POLIX instrument in XPoSat? a. 0.8-15 keV b. 8-30 keV c. 15-50 keV d. 30-60 keV

Answer: b

4-Which organization is developing the POLIX instrument for XPoSat? a. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) b. Ramam Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore c. U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) d. NASA

Answer: b

5-How many dimensions do polarimetry measurements add to our understanding of astronomical sources? a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four

Answer: b

6-What is the expected lifetime of the XPoSat mission? a. 3 years b. 5 years c. 8 years d. 10 years

Answer: b

7-Which payload provides spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV? a. POLIX b. XSPECT c. EOI d. XPS

Answer: b

8-What is the purpose of the collimator in the POLIX instrument? a. To measure X-ray polarization b. To restrict the field of view c. To capture visible light d. To observe blackhole binaries

Answer: b

9-Which payload can provide long-term monitoring of spectral state changes in soft X-rays? a. POLIX b. XSPECT c. EOI d. XPS

Answer: b

10-What is the primary emission mechanism studied by XPoSat? a. Infrared radiation from distant galaxies b. Visible light from planetary atmospheres c. X-ray emission from blackhole, neutron stars, etc. d. Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun

Answer: c

11-Which material is the scatterer in the POLIX instrument made of? a. Lead b. Aluminum c. Low atomic mass material causing Thomson scattering d. Iron

Answer: c

12How many types of sources are XSPECT expected to observe? a. 10 b. 5 c. Several d. None

Answer: c

13-What does XSPECT use to reduce background in its observations? a. Passive collimators b. Active amplifiers c. Reflective mirrors d. Heat shields

Answer: a

14-Which payload is dedicated to medium X-ray energy band for polarimetry measurements? a. POLIX b. XSPECT c. EOI d. XPS

Answer: a

15-What is the primary direction of research from XPoSat by the Indian science community? a. Understanding planetary atmospheres b. Studying interplanetary communication signals c. Breaking the degeneracy of theoretical models of astronomical emission processes d. Investigating dark matter in the universe

Answer: c