掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

We present an initial analysis of the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) first-light observation of the supernova remnant (SNR) N 132D in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Resolve microcalorimeter has obtained the first high-resolution spectrum in the 1.6–10 keV band, which contains K-shell emission lines of Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe. We find that the Si and S lines are relatively narrow, with a broadening represented by a Gaussian-like velocity dispersion of $\sigma _v \sim 450$ km s$^{-1}$. However, the Fe He$\alpha$ lines are substantially broadened with $\sigma _v \sim 1670$ km s$^{-1}$. This broadening can be explained by a combination of the thermal Doppler effect due to the high ion temperature and the kinematic Doppler effect due to the SNR expansion. Assuming that the Fe He$\alpha$ emission originates predominantly from the supernova ejecta, we estimate the reverse shock velocity at the time when the bulk of the Fe ejecta were shock heated to be $-1000 \lesssim V_{\rm rs}$ (km s$^{-1}$) $\lesssim 3300$ (in the observer frame). We also find that Fe Ly$\alpha$ emission is redshifted with a bulk velocity of $\sim 890$ km s$^{-1}$, substantially larger than the radial velocity of the local interstellar medium surrounding N 132D. These results demonstrate that high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy is capable of providing constraints on the evolutionary stage, geometry, and velocity distribution of SNRs.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psae080

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担当区分：筆頭著者   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

Over-ionized, recombining plasma is an emerging class of X-ray bright supernova remnants (SNRs). This unique thermal state, where the ionization temperature ($T_{\rm z}$) is significantly higher than the electron temperature ($T_{\rm e}$), is not expected from the standard evolution model that assumes a point explosion in a uniform interstellar medium, thus requiring a new scenario for the dynamical and thermal evolution. A recently proposed idea attributes the over-ionization state to additional ionization contribution from the low-energy tail of shock-accelerated protons. However, this new scenario has been left untested, especially from the atomic physics point of view. We report calculation results of the proton impact ionization rates of heavy-element ions in ejecta of SNRs. We conservatively estimate the requirement for accelerated protons, and find that their relative number density to thermal electrons needs to be higher than $5\ (k T_{\rm e}/1\:\mbox{keV})\%$ in order to explain the observed over-ionization degree at $T_{\rm z}/T_{\rm e} \ge 2$ for K-shell emission. We conclude that the proton ionization scenario is not feasible because such a high abundance of accelerated protons is prohibited by the injection fraction from thermal to non-thermal energies, which is expected to be $\sim\! 1\%$ at most.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psae077

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：American Astronomical Society  

Abstract

We present an analysis of the first two XRISM/Resolve spectra of the well-known Seyfert-1.5 active galactic nucleus (AGN) in NGC 4151, obtained in 2023 December. Our work focuses on the nature of the narrow Fe K_α emission line at 6.4 keV, the strongest and most common X-ray line observed in AGN. The total line is found to consist of three components. Even the narrowest component of the line is resolved with evident Fe K_α,1 (6.404 keV) and K_α,2 (6.391 keV) contributions in a 2:1 flux ratio, fully consistent with neutral gas with negligible bulk velocity. Subject to the limitations of our models, the narrowest and intermediate-width components are consistent with emission from optically thin gas, suggesting that they arise in a disk atmosphere and/or wind. Modeling the three line components in terms of Keplerian broadening, they are readily associated with (1) the inner wall of the “torus,” (2) the innermost optical “broad-line region” (or “X-ray BLR”), and (3) a region with a radius of r ≃ 100 GM/c ² that may signal a warp in the accretion disk. Viable alternative explanations of the broadest component include a fast-wind component and/or scattering; however, we find evidence of variability in the narrow Fe K_α line complex on timescales consistent with small radii. The best-fit models are statistically superior to simple Voigt functions, but when fit with Voigt profiles the time-averaged lines are consistent with a projected velocity broadening of FWHM . Overall, the resolution and sensitivity of XRISM show that the narrow Fe K line in AGN is an effective probe of all key parts of the accretion flow, as it is currently understood. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of AGN accretion, future studies with XRISM, and X-ray-based black hole mass measurements.

DOI： 10.3847/2041-8213/ad7397

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その他リンク： https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ad7397/pdf

掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019325

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3018882

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019600

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019329

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019276

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3017279

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019327

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019453

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担当区分：筆頭著者   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

DOI： 10.1117/12.3019586

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

The reported detection of a 3.5 keV emission line in the Perseus cluster, possibly originating from dark matter decay, is still under scrutiny. Despite extensive observations, the detection has not yet been confirmed, and its origin remains a topic of active debate. Most of the previous searches relied on spectroscopy with X-ray charge-coupled devices, such as the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer on Suzaku. Although this provided a large amount of observational data, it only offered moderate spectral resolution. The X-ray astronomy satellite Hitomi offers new results using its high-resolution X-ray spectrometer (Soft X-ray Spectrometer). However, the data gathered were somewhat limited in terms of statistics. In this work, we present the results of a new spectral analysis of the Perseus cluster that combines the spectra from the XIS and SXS, along with the Soft X-ray Imager on Hitomi, thereby complementing each other’s capability. Our search was conducted for a line emission or absorption in the energy range of 2.6–5.9 keV assuming the Navarro–Frenk–White mass distribution with a concentration parameter of 5.0 and virial radius, r200, of 1.79 Mpc. We also considered the instrumental systematic uncertainty caused by the effective area calibration, which we empirically evaluated using the Crab Nebula spectra. On combining these results, we found no significant line features above the baryonic thermal emission from the intra-cluster medium. The upper limit at 3.5 keV, at a 3σ confidence level, is tightly constrained to 4.2 × 10−5 photons cm−2 s−1 for the $15^{\prime }$ circular sky region, which encloses a dark matter mass of $1.67\times 10^{14}\, M_{\odot }$, assuming a line velocity dispersion of 180 km s−1. This constraint is three times tighter than the previous one, which only used the SXS. On the basis of these findings, we provide the upper limit of the dark matter decay rate and the mixing angle for the sterile neutrino origin.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psae027

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：American Astronomical Society  

Abstract

Supernova (SN) 1987A is one of the best candidates to exploit the capabilities of the freshly launched XRISM satellite. This celestial object offers the unique opportunity to study the evolution of an SN into a young supernova remnant. To date, the X-ray emission has been dominated by the shocked circumstellar medium, with no shocked ejecta firmly detected. However, recent studies provide compelling evidence that in the forthcoming years, the X-ray emission from SN 1987A will increasingly stem from the ejecta. Our aim is to assess the proficiency of the XRISM-Resolve high-resolution spectrometer in pinpointing signatures of the shocked ejecta in SN 1987A. Taking advantage of a self-consistent state-of-the-art magneto-hydrodynamic simulation that describes the evolution from SN 1987A to its remnant, we synthesized the XRISM-Resolve spectrum of SN 1987A, as it would be collected in the allocated observation during the performance verification phase, which is foreseen for 2024. Our predictions clearly show the leading role of shocked ejecta in shaping the profile of the emission lines. The Doppler broadening associated with the bulk motion along the line of sight of the rapidly expanding ejecta is shown to increase the line widths well above the values observed so far. The quantitative comparison between our synthetic spectra and the XRISM spectra will enable us to establish a strong connection between the broadened line emission and the freshly shocked ejecta. This, in turn, will allow us to retrieve the ejecta dynamics and chemical composition from the X-ray emission.

DOI： 10.3847/2041-8213/ad16e3

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その他リンク： https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ad16e3/pdf

担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

Resolve is an X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer on the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) to be launched in Japanese fiscal year 2022. Resolve is required to achieve an energy resolution of 7 eV at FWHM at 6 keV. To satisfy this requirement, it is necessary to correct the in-orbit gain drift. For this purpose, Resolve is equipped with multiple gain tracking calibration sources, including the modulated X-ray sources (MXS). The MXS will be operated in a pulsed mode, in which calibration X-rays illuminating the detector array are emitted at a duty cycle of similar to 1%. The low duty cycle allows us to monitor the gain drift with a small loss of the observing efficiency. However, the use of the MXS has drawbacks such as increase in the instrumental background due to exponentially decaying afterglow emission following each MXS pulse and the loss of throughput due to changes in the event-grade branching ratio. To minimize these effects, an optimization of the MXS operating parameters is needed. Based on the results of the MXS component-level tests, we established an analytical model that describes the MXS pulse and afterglow count rates. We obtained the optimal pulse parameters for various gain tracking intervals and estimated the effects of using the MXS on observation data. We further studied the trade-off between these effects and resolution degradation using the actual in-orbit drift observed with the Soft X-ray Spectrometer on the Hitomi satellite. Our study forms the basis of strategies for the in-orbit gain drift correction of Resolve.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2630133

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：EDP Sciences  

There has been a growing request from the X-ray astronomy community for a quantitative estimate of systematic uncertainties originating from the atomic data used in plasma codes. Though there have been several studies looking into atomic data uncertainties using theoretical calculations, in general, there is no commonly accepted solution for this task. We present a new approach for estimating uncertainties in the line emissivities for the current models of collisional plasma, mainly based upon a dedicated analysis of observed high resolution spectra of stellar coronae and galaxy clusters. We find that the systematic uncertainties of the observed lines consistently show an anticorrelation with the model line fluxes, after properly accounting for the additional uncertainties from the ion concentration calculation. The strong lines in the spectra are in general better reproduced, indicating that the atomic data and modeling of the main transitions are more accurate than those for the minor ones. This underlying anticorrelation is found to be roughly independent of source properties, line positions, ion species, and the line formation processes. We further applied our method to the simulated XRISM and Athena observations of collisional plasma sources and discuss the impact of uncertainties on the interpretation of these spectra. The typical uncertainties are 1–2% on temperature and 3–20% on abundances of O, Ne, Fe, Mg, and Ni.

DOI： 10.1051/0004-6361/202039943

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Resolve instrument onboard the XRISM satellite is equipped with 6 x 6 x-ray microcalorimeter detectors aiming at an energy resolution of 7 eV (FWHM) at 5.9 keV. It is currently under development by an international collaboration and will be launched in 2023. The detectors are operated at 50 mK, which is achieved by a combination of four Stirling coolers (STC), one Joule-Thomson cooler (JTC), three-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators, and superfluid helium inside the dewar. The cryocoolers (STC and JTC) are significant sources of microphonic noise against the detector performance. To understand and characterize the microphonic propagation, we monitored the level of vibration throughout the ground instrument-level tests in 2019-2022, yielding a rich and unique data set of the accelerometers and the detector at 50 mK amounting to 1720 hours (6.2 Ms). In this article, we report the result of classifying thermal and non-thermal microcalorimeter noise, distinguishing the origin of the noise, and the method for optimizing the cooler drive frequency that minimizes the effect of the noise originating from the cooler.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2629773

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Resolve instrument onboard the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) consists of an array of 6 x 6 silicon-thermistor microcalorimeters cooled down to 50 mK and a high-throughput X-ray mirror assembly (XMA) with a focal length of 5.6 m. XRISM is a recovery mission of ASTRO-H/Hitomi, and the Resolve instrument is a rebuild of the ASTRO-H Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) and the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) that achieved energy resolution of similar to 5 eV FWHM on orbit, with several important changes based on lessons learned from ASTRO-H. The flight models of the Dewar and the electronics boxes were fabricated and the instrument test and calibration were conducted in 2021. By tuning the cryocooler frequencies, energy resolution better than 4.9 eV FWHM at 6 keV was demonstrated for all 36 pixels and high resolution grade events, as well as energy-scale accuracy better than 2 eV up to 30 keV. The immunity of the detectors to microvibration, electrical conduction, and radiation was evaluated. The instrument was delivered to the spacecraft system in 2022-04 and is under the spacecraft system testing as of writing. The XMA was tested and calibrated separately. Its angular resolution is 1.27' and the effective area of the mirror itself is 570 cm(2) at 1 keV and 424 cm(2) at 6 keV. We report the design and the major changes from the ASTRO-H SXS, the integration, and the results of the instrument test.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2630654

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The spectroscopic performance of x-ray instruments can be affected at high count rates. The effects and mitigation in the optical chain, such as x-ray attenuation filters or de-focusing mirrors, are widely discussed, but those in the signal chain are not. Using the Resolve x-ray microcalorimeter onboard the XRISM satellite, we discuss the effects observed during high count rate measurements and how these can be modeled. We focus on three instrumental effects that impact performance at high count rate: CPU limit, pile up, and electrical cross talk. High count rate data were obtained during ground testing using the flight model instrument and a calibration x-ray source. A simulated observation of GX 13+1 is presented to illustrate how to estimate these effects based on these models for observation planning. The impact of these effects on high count rate observations is discussed.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2628784

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Resolve instrument onboard the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) hosts an x-ray microcalorimeter that consists of 36 pixels in an array operated at 50 mK. It is currently under development and will be launched in 2022. X-ray microcalorimeters are known for their high spectral resolution, but they also excel in timing resolution for the necessity of cross-correlating event signals with templates in the time domain for accurate energy derivation. Primary and redundant modulated x-ray sources (MXS) are installed in Resolve for the purpose of correcting changes in the energy scale of the microcalorimeters while minimizing additional background; each source is switched on for intervals of O (1 ms) with a duty cycle of similar to 1 %. The MXS can also be utilized for calibrating relative timing as a function of pixel, event grade, and energy. We had a week-long run in 2022 June using the flight model hardware during the spacecraft level test with several different settings. We describe the method and the result of the relative timing calibration using this data set.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2629753

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-SOC PHOTO-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERS  

X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) is an x-ray astronomical mission led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with collaboration from the European Space Agency (ESA) and other international participants, that is planned for launch in 2022 (Japanese fiscal year), to quickly restore high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy of astrophysical objects using the microcalorimeter array after the loss of Hitomi satellite. In order to enhance the scientific outputs of the mission, the Science Operations Team (SOT) is structured independently from the Instrument Teams (ITs) and the Mission Operations Team. The responsibilities of the SOT are divided into four categories: (1) guest observer program and data distributions, (2) distribution of analysis software and the calibration database, (3) guest observer support activities, and (4) performance verification and optimization activities. Before constructing the operations concept of the XRISM mission, lessons on the science operations learned from past Japanese x-ray missions (ASCA, Suzaku, and Hitomi) are reviewed, and 15 kinds of lessons are identified by categories, such as lessons on the importance of avoiding non-public ("animal") tools, coding quality of public tools in terms of the engineering viewpoint and calibration accuracy, tight communications with ITs and operations teams, and well-defined task division between scientists and engineers. Among these lessons, (a) the importance of early preparation of the operations from the ground stage, (b) construction of an independent team for science operations separate from the instrument development, and (c) operations with well-defined duties by appointed members are recognized as key lessons for XRISM. Based on this, (i) the task division between the mission and science operations and (ii) the subgroup structure within the XRISM Team are defined in detail as the XRISM operations concept. Based on this operations concept, the detailed plan of the science operations is designed as follows. The science operations tasks are shared among Japan, the USA, and Europe and are performed by three centers: the Science Operations Center (SOC) at JAXA, the Science Data Center (SDC) at NASA, and European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) at the ESA. The SOT is defined as a combination of the SOC and SDC. The SOC is designed to perform tasks close to the spacecraft operations, such as spacecraft planning of science targets, quick-look health checks, and prepipeline data processing. The SDC covers tasks regarding data calibration processing (pipeline processing) and maintenance of analysis tools. The data-archive and user-support activities are planned to be covered both by the SOC and SDC. Finally, the details of the science operations tasks and the tools for science operations are defined and prepared before launch. This information is expected to be helpful for the construction of science operations of future x-ray missions. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.7.3.037001

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The XRISM X-ray observatory will fly two advanced instruments, the Resolve high-resolution spectrometer and the Xtend wide-field imager. These instruments, particularly Resolve, pose calibration challenges due to the unprecedented combination of spectral resolution, spectral coverage, and effective area, combined with a need to characterize the imaging fidelity of the full instrument system to realize the mission's ambitious science goals. We present the status of the XRISM in-flight calibration plan, building on lessons from Hitomi and other X-ray missions. We present a discussion of targets and observing strategies to address the needed calibration measurements, with a focus on developing methodologies to plan a thorough and flexible calibration campaign and provide insight on calibration systematic error. We also discuss observations that exploit Resolve's spectral resolution to calibrate atomic codes, and cross-calibration between the XRISM instruments and with other observatories.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2561608

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) is the successor to the 2016 Hitomi mission that ended prematurely. Like Hitomi, the primary science goals are to examine astrophysical problems with precise high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. XRISM promises to discover new horizons in X-ray astronomy. XRISM carries a 6 x 6 pixelized X-ray micro-calorimeter on the focal plane of an X-ray mirror assembly and a co-aligned X-ray CCD camera that covers the same energy band over a large field of view. XRISM utilizes Hitomi heritage, but all designs were reviewed. The attitude and orbit control system were improved in hardware and software. The number of star sensors were increased from two to three to improve coverage and robustness in onboard attitude determination and to obtain a wider field of view sun sensor. The fault detection, isolation, and reconfiguration (FDIR) system was carefully examined and reconfigured. Together with a planned increase of ground support stations, the survivability of the spacecraft is significantly improved.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2565812

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：EDP SCIENCES S A  

The Hitomi results for the Perseus cluster have shown that accurate atomic models are essential to the success of X-ray spectroscopic missions and just as important as the store of knowledge on instrumental calibration and astrophysical modeling. Preparing the models requires a multifaceted approach, including theoretical calculations, laboratory measurements, and calibration using real observations. In a previous paper, we presented a calculation of the electron impact cross sections on the transitions forming the Fe-L complex. In the present work, we systematically tested the calculation against cross-sections of ions measured in an electron beam ion trap experiment. A two-dimensional analysis in the electron beam energies and X-ray photon energies was utilized to disentangle radiative channels following dielectronic recombination, direct electron-impact excitation, and resonant excitation processes in the experimental data. The data calibrated through laboratory measurements were further fed into a global modeling of the Chandra grating spectrum of Capella. We investigated and compared the fit quality, as well as the sensitivity of the derived physical parameters to the underlying atomic data and the astrophysical plasma modeling. We further list the potential areas of disagreement between the observations and the present calculations, which, in turn, calls for renewed efforts with regard to theoretical calculations and targeted laboratory measurements.

DOI： 10.1051/0004-6361/202037948

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担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present a 190 ks observation of the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G306.3-0.9 with Suzaku. To study ejecta properties of this possible Type Ia SNR, the absolute energy-scale at the Fe-K band was calibrated to a level of uncertainty less than 10 eV by a cross-calibration with the Hitomi microcalorimeter using the Perseus cluster spectra. This enabled us for the first time to determine the ionization state of the Fe K alpha line of this SNR accurately. The ionization time-scale (tau) of the Fe ejecta was measured to be log(10)tau (cm(-3) s) = 10.24 +/- 0.03, significantly smaller than previous measurements. Marginally detected K alpha lines of Cr and Mn have ionization time-scales consistent with that of Fe. The global spectrum was well-fitted with shocked interstellar matter (ISM) and at least two ejecta components with different ionization time-scales for Fe and intermediate mass elements (IME) such as S and Ar. One plausible interpretation of the one-order-of-magnitude shorter time-scale of Fe than that of IME (log(10) tau = 11.17 +/- 0.07) is a chemically stratified structure of ejecta. By comparing the X-ray absorption column to the H I distribution decomposed along the line of sight, we refined the distance to similar to 20 kpc. The large ISM-to-ejecta shocked mass ratio of similar to 100 and dynamical time-scale of similar to 6 kyr place the SNR in the late Sedov phase. These properties are consistent with a stratified ejecta structure that has survived the mixing processes expected in an evolved SNR.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psz036

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present the results from the Hitomi Soft Gamma-ray Detector (SGD) observation of the Crab nebula. The main part of SGD is a Compton camera, which in addition to being a spectrometer, is capable of measuring polarization of gamma-ray photons. The Crab nebula is one of the brightest X-ray / gamma-ray sources on the sky, and, the only source from which polarized X-ray photons have been detected. SGD observed the Crab nebula during the initial test observation phase of Hitomi. We performed the data analysis of the SGD observation, the SGD background estimation and the SGD Monte Carlo simulations, and, successfully detected polarized gamma-ray emission from the Crab nebula with only about 5 ks exposure time. The obtained polarization fraction of the phase-integrated Crab emission (sum of pulsar and nebula emissions) is (22.1% +/- 10.6%), and, the polarization angle is 110.degrees 7 + 13.degrees 2 /-13.degrees 0 in the energy range of 60-160 keV (The errors correspond to the 1 sigma deviation). The confidence level of the polarization detection was 99.3%. The polarization angle measured by SGD is about one sigma deviation with the projected spin axis of the pulsar, 124.degrees 0 +/- 0.degrees 1.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psy118

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present an X-ray study of the GeV gamma-ray supernova remnant (SNR) HB 21 with Suzaku. HB 21 is interacting with molecular clouds, and is the faintest in the GeV band among known GeV SNRs. We discovered strong radiative recombination continua of Si and S from the center of the remnant, which provide direct evidence of a recombining plasma (RP). The total emission can be explained with the RP and ionizing plasma components. The electron temperature and recombination timescale of the RP component were estimated as 0.17 (0.15-0.18) keV and 3.2 (2.0-4.8) x 10(11) s cm(-3), respectively. The estimated age of the RP (similar to 170 kyr) is the longest among known recombining GeV SNRs, because of a very low density of electrons (similar to 0.05 cm(-3)). We have examined the dependencies of GeV spectral indices on each of RP ages and SNR diameters for nine recombining GeV SNRs. Both showed possible positive correlations, indicating that both the parameters can be good indicators of properties of accelerated protons, for instance the degree of escape from SNR shocks. A possible scenario for a process of proton escape is introduced: interaction with molecular clouds makes weaker magnetic turbulence and cosmic-ray protons escape, simultaneously cooling down the thermal electrons and generating an RP.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psy069

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present results from the Hitomi X-ray observation of a young composite-type supernova remnant (SNR) G21.5-0.9, whose emission is dominated by the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) contribution. The X-ray spectra in the 0.8-80 keV range obtained with the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS), Soft X-ray Imager, and Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) show a significant break in the continuum as previously found with the NuSTAR observation. After taking into account all known emissions from the SNR other than the PWN itself, we find that the Hitomi spectra can be fitted with a broken power law with photon indices of Gamma(1) = 1.74 +/- 0.02 and Gamma(2) = 2.14 +/- 0.01 below and above the break at 7.1 +/- 0.3 keV, which is significantly lower than the NuSTAR result (similar to 9.0 keV). The spectral break cannot be reproduced by time-dependent particle injection one-zone spectral energy distribution models, which strongly indicates that a more complex emission model is needed, as suggested by recent theoretical models. We also search for narrow emission or absorption lines with the SXS, and perform a timing analysis of PSR J1833-1034 with the HXI and the Soft Gamma-ray Detector. No significant pulsation is found from the pulsar. However, unexpectedly, narrow absorption line features are detected in the SXS data at 4.2345 keV and 9.296 keV with a significance of 3.65 sigma. While the origin of these features is not understood, their mere detection opens up a new field of research and was only possible with the high resolution, sensitivity, and ability to measure extended sources provided by an X-ray microcalorimeter.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psy027

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Springer New York LLC  

The X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (XARM) is a recovery mission of ASTRO-H/Hitomi, which is expected to be launched in Japanese Fiscal Year of 2020 at the earliest. The Resolve instrument on XARM consists of an array of 6 × 6 silicon-thermistor microcalorimeters cooled down to 50 mK and a high-throughput X-ray mirror assembly with the focal length of 5.6 m. Hitomi was launched into orbit in February 2016 and observed several celestial objects, although the operation of Hitomi was terminated in April 2016. The soft X-ray spectrometer (SXS) on Hitomi demonstrated high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of ~ 5 eV FWHM in orbit for most of the pixels. The Resolve instrument is planned to mostly be a copy of the Hitomi SXS and soft X-ray telescope designs, though several changes are planned based on the lessons learned from Hitomi. We report a brief summary of the SXS performance and the status of the Resolve instrument.

DOI： 10.1007/s10909-018-1913-4

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

The Astro-H (Hitomi) Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) was a pioneering imaging x-ray spectrometer with 5 eV energy resolution at 6 keV. The instrument used a microcalorimeter array at the focus of a high-Throughput soft x-ray telescope to enable high-resolution nondispersive spectroscopy in the soft x-ray waveband (0.3 to 12 keV). We present the suite of ground calibration measurements acquired from 2012 to 2015, including characterization of the detector system, anti-coincidence detector, optical blocking filters, and filter-wheel filters. The calibration of the 36-pixel silicon thermistor microcalorimeter array includes parameterizations of the energy gain scale and line-spread function for each event grade over a range of instrument operating conditions, as well as quantum efficiency measurements. The x-ray transmission of the set of five Al/polyimide thin-film optical blocking filters mounted inside the SXS dewar has been modeled based on measurements at synchrotron beamlines, including with high spectral resolution at the C, N, O, and Al K-edges. In addition, we present the x-ray transmission of the dewar gate valve and of the filters mounted on the SXS filter wheel (external to the dewar), including beryllium, polyimide, and neutral density filters.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.2.021406

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-SOC PHOTO-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERS  

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer onboard the Astro-H (Hitomi) orbiting x-ray observatory featured an array of 36 silicon thermistor x-ray calorimeters optimized to perform high spectral resolution x-ray imaging spectroscopy of astrophysical sources in the 0.3-to 12-keV band. Extensive preflight calibration measurements are the basis for our modeling of the pulse height-energy relation and energy resolution for each pixel and event grade, telescope collecting area, detector efficiency, and pulse arrival time. Because of the early termination of mission operations, we needed to extract the maximum information from observations performed only days into the mission when the onboard calibration sources had not yet been commissioned and the dewar was still coming into thermal equilibrium, so our technique for reconstructing the per-pixel time-dependent pulse height-energy relation had to be modified. The gain scale was reconstructed using a combination of an absolute energy scale calibration at a single time using a fiducial from an onboard radioactive source and calibration of a dominant time-dependent gain drift component using a dedicated calibration pixel, as well as a residual time-dependent variation using spectra from the Perseus cluster of galaxies. The energy resolution was also measured using the onboard radioactive sources. It is consistent with instrument-level measurements accounting for the modest increase in noise due to spacecraft systems interference. We use observations of two pulsar wind nebulae to validate our models of the telescope area and detector efficiency and to derive a more accurate value for the thickness of the gate-valve Be window, which had not been opened by the time mission operations ceased. We use observations of the Crab nebula to refine the pixel-to-pixel timing and validate the absolute timing. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.2.021407

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-SOC PHOTO-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERS  

The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E > 2 keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.2.021402

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) instrument of Suzaku provided the first measurement of the non-X-ray background (NXB) of an X-ray calorimeter spectrometer, but the data set was limited. The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) instrument of Hitomi was able to provide a more detailed picture of X-ray calorimeter background, with more than 360 ks of data while pointed at the Earth, and a comparable amount of blank-sky data. These data are important not only for analyzing SXS science data, but also for categorizing the contributions to the NXB in X-ray calorimeters as a class. In this paper, we present the contributions to the SXS NXB, the types and effectiveness of the screening, the interaction of the screening with the broad-band redistribution, and the residual background spectrum as a function of magnetic cut-off rigidity. The orbit-averaged SXS NXB in the range 0.3-12 keV was 4 x 10(-2) counts s(-1) cm(-2). This very low background in combination with groundbreaking spectral resolution gave SXS unprecedented sensitivity to weak spectral lines.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx139

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The origin of the narrow Fe-K alpha fluorescence line at 6.4 keV from active galactic nuclei has long been under debate; some of the possible sites are the outer accretion disk, the broad line region, a molecular torus, or interstellar/intracluster media. In 2016 February-March, we performed the first X-ray microcalorimeter spectroscopy with the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) on board the Hitomi satellite of the Fanaroff-Riley type I radio galaxy NGC 1275 at the center of the Perseus cluster of galaxies. With the high-energy resolution of similar to 5 eV at 6 keV achieved by Hitomi/SXS, we detected the Fe-K alpha line with similar to 5.4 sigma significance. The velocity width is constrained to be 500-1600 km s(-1) (FWHM for Gaussian models) at 90% confidence. The SXS also constrains the continuum level from the NGC 1275 nucleus up to similar to 20 keV, giving an equivalent width of similar to 20 eV for the 6.4 keV line. Because the velocity width is narrower than that of the broad H alpha line of similar to 2750 km s(-1), we can exclude a large contribution to the line flux from the accretion disk and the broad line region. Furthermore, we performed pixel map analyses on the Hitomi/SXS data and image analyses on the Chandra archival data, and revealed that the Fe-K alpha line comes from a region within similar to 1.6 kpc of the NGC 1275 core, where an active galactic nucleus emission dominates, rather than that from intracluster media. Therefore, we suggest that the source of the Fe-K alpha line from NGC 1275 is likely a low-covering-fraction molecular torus or a rotating molecular disk which probably extends from a parsec to hundreds of parsecs scale in the active galactic nucleus system.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx147

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The Crab nebula originated from a core-collapse supernova (SN) explosion observed in 1054 AD. When viewed as a supernova remnant (SNR), it has an anomalously low observed ejecta mass and kinetic energy for an Fe-core-collapse SN. Intensive searches have been made for a massive shell that solves this discrepancy, but none has been detected. An alternative idea is that SN 1054 is an electron-capture (EC) explosion with a lower explosion energy by an order of magnitude than Fe-core-collapse SNe. X-ray imaging searches were performed for the plasma emission from the shell in the Crab outskirts to set a stringent upper limit on the X-ray emitting mass. However, the extreme brightness of the source hampers access to its vicinity. We thus employed spectroscopic technique using the X-ray micro-calorimeter on board the Hitomi satellite. By exploiting its superb energy resolution, we set an upper limit for emission or absorption features from as yet undetected thermal plasma in the 2-12 keV range. We also re-evaluated the existing Chandra and XMM-Newton data. By assembling these results, a new upper limit was obtained for the X-ray plasma mass of less than or similar to 1 M-circle dot for a wide range of assumed shell radius, size, and plasma temperature values both in and out of collisional equilibrium. To compare with the observation, we further performed hydrodynamic simulations of the Crab SNR for two SN models (Fe-core versus EC) under two SN environments (uniform interstellar medium versus progenitor wind). We found that the observed mass limit can be compatible with both SN models if the SN environment has a low density of less than or similar to 0.03 cm(-3) (Fe core) or less than or similar to 0.1 cm(-3) (EC) for the uniform density, or a progenitor wind density somewhat less than that provided by amass loss rate of 10(-5) M-circle dot yr(-1) at 20 km s(-1) for the wind environment.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx072

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We report on a Hitomi observation of IGR J16318-4848, a high-mass X-ray binary system with an extremely strong absorption of N-H similar to 10(24) cm(-2). Previous X-ray studies revealed that its spectrum is dominated by strong fluorescence lines of Fe as well as continuum emission lines. For physical and geometrical insight into the nature of the reprocessing material, we utilized the high spectroscopic resolving power of the X-ray microcalorimeter (the soft X-ray spectrometer: SXS) and the wide-band sensitivity by the soft and hard X-ray imagers (SXI and HXI) aboard Hitomi. Even though the photon counts are limited due to unintended off-axis pointing, the SXS spectrum resolves Fe K alpha(1) and K alpha(2) lines and puts strong constraints on the line centroid and line width. The line width corresponds to a velocity of 160(-70)(+300) km s(-1). This represents the most accurate, and smallest, width measurement of this line made so far from the any X-ray binary, much less than the Doppler broadening and Doppler shift expected from speeds that are characteristic of similar systems. Combined with the K-shell edge energy measured by the SXI and HXI spectra, the ionization state of Fe is estimated to be in the range of Fe I-IV. Considering the estimated ionization parameter and the distance between the X-ray source and the absorber, the density and thickness of the materials are estimated. The extraordinarily strong absorption and the absence of a Compton shoulder component have been confirmed. These characteristics suggest reprocessing materials that are distributed in a narrow solid angle or scattering, primarily by warm free electrons or neutral hydrogen. This measurement was achieved using the SXS detection of 19 photons. It provides strong motivation for follow-up observations of this and other X-ray binaries using the X-ray Astrophysics Recovery Mission and other comparable future instruments.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx154

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

To search for giant X-ray pulses correlated with the giant radio pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar, we performed a simultaneous observation of the Crab pulsar with the X-ray satellite Hitomi in the 2-300 keV band and the Kashima NICT radio telescope in the 1.4-1.7 GHz band with a net exposure of about 2 ks on 2016 March 25, just before the loss of the Hitomi mission. The timing performance of the Hitomi instruments was confirmed to meet the timing requirement and about 1000 and 100 GRPs were simultaneously observed at the main pulse and inter-pulse phases, respectively, and we found no apparent correlation between the giant radio pulses and the X-ray emission in either the main pulse or inter-pulse phase. All variations are within the 2 sigma fluctuations of the X-ray fluxes at the pulse peaks, and the 3 sigma upper limits of variations of main pulse or inter-pulse GRPs are 22% or 80% of the peak flux in a 0.20 phase width, respectively, in the 2-300 keV band. The values for main pulse or inter-pulse GRPs become 25% or 110%, respectively, when the phase width is restricted to the 0.03 phase. Among the upper limits from the Hitomi satellite, those in the 4.5-10 keV and 70-300 keV bands are obtained for the first time, and those in other bands are consistent with previous reports. Numerically, the upper limits of the main pulse and inter-pulse GRPs in the 0.20 phase width are about (2.4 and 9.3) x 10(-11) erg cm(-2), respectively. No significant variability in pulse profiles implies that the GRPs originated from a local place within the magneto-sphere. Although the number of photon-emitting particles should temporarily increase to account for the brightening of the radio emission, the results do not statistically rule out variations correlated with the GRPs, because the possible X-ray enhancement may appear due to a > 0.02% brightening of the pulse-peak flux under such conditions.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx083

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

Extending the earlier measurements reported in Hitomi collaboration (2016, Nature, 535, 117), we examine the atmospheric gas motions within the central 100 kpc of the Perseus cluster using observations obtained with the Hitomi satellite. After correcting for the point spread function of the telescope and using optically thin emission lines, we find that the line-of-sight velocity dispersion of the hot gas is remarkably low and mostly uniform. The velocity dispersion reaches a maxima of approximately 200 km s(-1) toward the central active galactic nucleus (AGN) and toward the AGN inflated northwestern "ghost" bubble. Elsewhere within the observed region, the velocity dispersion appears constant around 100 km s(-1). We also detect a velocity gradient with a 100 km s(-1) amplitude across the cluster core, consistent with large-scale sloshing of the core gas. If the observed gas motions are isotropic, the kinetic pressure support is less than 10% of the thermal pressure support in the cluster core. The well-resolved, optically thin emission lines have Gaussian shapes, indicating that the turbulent driving scale is likely below 100 kpc, which is consistent with the size of the AGN jet inflated bubbles. We also report the first measurement of the ion temperature in the intracluster medium, which we find to be consistent with the electron temperature. In addition, we present a new measurement of the redshift of the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 1275.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx138

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

Thanks to its high spectral resolution (similar to 5 eV at 6 keV), the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) on board Hitomi enables us to measure the detailed structure of spatially resolved emission lines from highly ionized ions in galaxy clusters for the first time. In this series of papers, using the SXS we have measured the velocities of gas motions, metallicities and the multi-temperature structure of the gas in the core of the Perseus Cluster. Here, we show that when inferring physical properties from line emissivities in systems like Perseus, the resonant scattering effect should be taken into account. In the Hitomi waveband, resonant scattering mostly affects the Fe XXV He alpha line (w)-the strongest line in the spectrum. The flux measured by Hitomi in this line is suppressed by a factor of similar to 1.3 in the inner similar to 30 kpc, compared to predictions for an optically thin plasma; the suppression decreases with the distance from the center. The w line also appears slightly broader than other lines from the same ion. The observed distortions of the w line flux, shape, and distance dependence are all consistent with the expected effect of the resonant scattering in the Perseus core. By measuring the ratio of fluxes in optically thick (w) and thin (Fe XXV forbidden, He beta, Ly alpha) lines, and comparing these ratios with predictions from Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations, the velocities of gas motions have been obtained. The results are consistent with the direct measurements of gas velocities from line broadening described elsewhere in this series, although the systematic and statistical uncertainties remain significant. Further improvements in the predictions of line emissivities in plasma models, and deeper observations with future X-ray missions offering similar or better capabilities to the Hitomi SXS, will enable resonant scattering measurements to provide powerful constraints on the amplitude and anisotropy of cluster gas motions.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx127

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担当区分：責任著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present Hitomi observations of N 132 D, a young, X-ray bright, O-rich core-collapse supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Despite a very short observation of only 3.7 ks, the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) easily detects the line complexes of highly ionized S K and Fe K with 16-17 counts in each. The Fe feature is measured for the first time at high spectral resolution. Based on the plausible assumption that the Fe K emission is dominated by He-like ions, we find that the material responsible for this Fe emission is highly redshifted at similar to 800 km s(-1) compared to the local LMC interstellar medium (ISM), with a 90% credible interval of 50-1500 km s(-1) if a weakly informative prior is placed on possible line broadening. This indicates (1) that the Fe emission arises from the supernova ejecta, and (2) that these ejecta are highly asymmetric, since no blueshifted component is found. The S K velocity is consistent with the local LMC ISM, and is likely from swept-up ISM material. These results are consistent with spatial mapping that shows the He-like Fe concentrated in the interior of the remnant and the S tracing the outer shell. The results also show that even with a very small number of counts, direct velocity measurements from Doppler-shifted lines detected in extended objects like supernova remnants are now possible. Thanks to the very low SXS background of similar to 1 event per spectral resolution element per 100 ks, such results are obtainable during short pointed or slew observations with similar instruments. This highlights the power of high-spectral-resolution imaging observations, and demonstrates the new window that has been opened with Hitomi and will be greatly widened with future missions such as the X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (XARM) and Athena.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx151

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The present paper explains the temperature structure of X-ray emitting plasma in the core of the Perseus cluster based on 1.8-20.0 keV data obtained with the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) on board the Hitomi Observatory. A series of four observations was carried out, with a total effective exposure time of 338 ks that covered a central region of similar to 7' in diameter. SXS was operated with an energy resolution of similar to 5 eV (full width at half maximum) at 5.9 keV. Not only fine structures of K-shell lines in He-like ions, but also transitions from higher principal quantum numbers were clearly resolved from Si through Fe. That enabled us to perform temperature diagnostics using the line ratios of Si, S, Ar, Ca, and Fe, and to provide the first direct measurement of the excitation temperature and ionization temperature in the Perseus cluster. The observed spectrum is roughly reproduced by a single-temperature thermal plasma model in collisional ionization equilibrium, but detailed line-ratio diagnostics reveal slight deviations from this approximation. In particular, the data exhibit an apparent trend of increasing ionization temperature with the atomic mass, as well as small differences between the ionization and excitation temperatures for Fe, the only element for which both temperatures could be measured. The best-fit two-temperature models suggest a combination of 3 and 5 keV gas, which is consistent with the idea that the observed small deviations from a single-temperature approximation are due to the effects of projecting the known radial temperature gradient in the cluster core along the line of sight. A comparison with the Chandra/ACIS and the XMM-Newton/RGS results, on the other hand, suggests that additional lower-temperature components are present in the intracluster medium (ICM), but not detectable with Hitomi/SXS giving its 1.8-20 keV energy band.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psy004

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担当区分：責任著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The Hitomi Soft X-ray Spectrometer spectrum of the Perseus cluster, with similar to 5 eV resolution in the 2-9 keV band, offers an unprecedented benchmark of the atomic modeling and database for hot collisional plasmas. It reveals both successes and challenges of the current atomic data and models. The latest versions of AtomDB/APEC (3.0.8), SPEX (3.03.00), and CHIANTI (8.0) all provide reasonable fits to the broad-band spectrum, and are in close agreement on best-fit temperature, emission measure, and abundances of a few elements such as Ni. For the Fe abundance, the APEC and SPEX measurements differ by 16%, which is 17 times higher than the statistical uncertainty. This is mostly attributed to the differences in adopted collisional excitation and dielectronic recombination rates of the strongest emission lines. We further investigate and compare the sensitivity of the derived physical parameters to the astrophysical source modeling and instrumental effects. The Hitomi results show that accurate atomic data and models are as important as the astrophysical modeling and instrumental calibration aspects. Substantial updates of atomic databases and targeted laboratory measurements are needed to get the current data and models ready for the data from the next Hitomi-level mission.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psx156

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：American Astronomical Society  

Abstract

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are the primary candidate of Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators. It is still an open issue when and how young SNRs, which typically exhibit strong synchrotron X-rays and GeV and TeV gamma rays, undergo the state transition to middle-aged SNRs dominated by thermal X-rays and GeV gamma rays. SNR N132D in the Large Magellanic Cloud is an ideal target to study such a transition, exhibiting bright X-rays and gamma rays, and with an expected age of ∼2500 years. In this paper we present results of NuSTAR and Suzaku spectroscopy. We reveal that N132D has a nearly equilibrium plasma with a temperature of >5 keV or a recombining plasma with a lower temperature (∼1.5 keV) and a recombining timescale ( ${n}_{e}t$ ) of $8.8\,(7.0\mbox{--}10.0)\times {10}^{12}$ cm⁻³s. Together with the center-filled morphology observed in the iron K line image, our results suggest that N132D is now at the transition stage from being a young SNR to being middle-aged. We have constrained the tight upper limit of nonthermal X-rays. Bright gamma rays compared to faint nonthermal X-rays suggest that the gamma rays are hadronic in origin. The spectral energy distribution from radio to gamma rays shows a proton cutoff energy of ∼30 TeV. These facts confirm that N132D is undergoing the transition from a young to a middle-aged SNR. The large thermal energy of $\gt {10}^{51}$ erg and accelerated proton energy of $\sim {10}^{50}$ erg suggest the supernova explosion might have been very energetic.

DOI： 10.3847/1538-4357/aaa5a0

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その他リンク： http://stacks.iop.org/0004-637X/854/i=1/a=71?key=crossref.f919066f257ead40c01620079d4b8920

記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

The soft x-ray spectrometer (SXS) was a cryogenic high-resolution x-ray spectrometer onboard the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) satellite that achieved energy resolution of 5 eV at 6 keV, by operating the detector array at 50 mK using an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The cooling chain from room temperature to the ADR heat sink was composed of two-stage Stirling cryocoolers, a 4He Joule-Thomson cryocooler, and superfluid liquid helium and was installed in a dewar. It was designed to achieve a helium lifetime of more than 3 years with a minimum of 30 L. The satellite was launched on February 17, 2016, and the SXS worked perfectly in orbit, until March 26 when the satellite lost its function. It was demonstrated that the heat load on the helium tank was about 0.7 mW, which would have satisfied the lifetime requirement. This paper describes the design, results of ground performance tests, prelaunch operations, and initial operation and performance in orbit of the flight dewar and the cryocoolers.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011208

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

The soft x-ray spectrometer (SXS) instrument was launched aboard the Astro-H (Hitomi) observatory on February 17, 2016. The SXS is based on a high-sensitivity x-ray calorimeter detector system that has been successfully deployed in many ground and suborbital spectrometers. The instrument was to provide essential diagnostics for nearly every class of x-ray emitting objects from the atmosphere of Jupiter to the outskirts of galaxy clusters, without degradation for spatially extended objects. The SXS detector system consisted of a 36-pixel cryogenic microcalorimeter array operated at a heat sink temperature of 50 mK. In preflight testing, the detector system demonstrated a resolving power of better than 1300 at 6 keV with a simultaneous bandpass from below 0.3 keV to above 12 keV with a timing precision better than 100 μs. In addition, a solid-state anticoincidence detector was placed directly behind the detector array for background suppression. The detector error budget included the measured interference from the SXS cooling system and the spacecraft. Additional margin for on-orbit gain stability and on-orbit spacecraft interference were also included predicting an on-orbit performance that meets or exceeds the 7-eV FWHM at 6-keV requirement. The actual on-orbit spectral resolution was better than 5 eV FWHM at 6 keV, easily satisfying the instrument requirement. Here, we discuss the actual on-orbit performance of the SXS detector system and compare this to performance in preflight testing and the on-orbit predictions. We will also discuss the on-orbit gain stability, additional on-orbit interference, and measurements of the on-orbit background.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011218

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

We summarize results of the initial in-orbit performance of the pulse shape processor (PSP) of the soft x-ray spectrometer instrument onboard ASTRO-H (Hitomi). Event formats, kind of telemetry, and the pulse-processing parameters are described, and the parameter settings in orbit are listed. The PSP was powered-on 2 days after launch, and the event threshold was lowered in orbit. The PSP worked fine in orbit, and there was neither memory error nor SpaceWire communication error until the break-up of spacecraft. Time assignment, electrical crosstalk, and the event screening criteria are studied. It is confirmed that the event processing rate at 100% central processing unit load is ∼200 c / s / array, compliant with the requirement on the PSP.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011217

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

Astro-H is the X-ray/gamma-ray mission led by Japan with international participation, launched on February 17, 2016. Soon after launch, Astro-H was renamed Hitomi. The payload consists of four different instruments (SXS, SXI, HXI, and SGD) that operate simultaneously to cover the energy range from 0.3 keV up to 600 keV. On March 27, 2016, JAXA lost contact with the satellite and, on April 28, they announced the cessation of the efforts to restore mission operations. Hitomi collected about one month's worth of data with its instruments. This paper presents the analysis software and the data processing pipeline created to calibrate and analyze the Hitomi science data, along with the plan for the archive. These activities have been a collaborative effort shared between scientists and software engineers working in several institutes in Japan and United States.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011207

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-SOC PHOTO-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERS  

The soft x-ray spectrometer (SXS) onboard ASTRO-H (named Hitomi after launch) is a microcalorimeter-type spectrometer, installed in a dewar to be cooled at 50 mK. The energy resolution of the SXS engineering model suffered from microvibration from cryocoolers mounted on the dewar. This is mitigated for the flight model (FM) by introducing vibration isolation systems between the cryocoolers and the dewar. The detector performance of the FM was verified before launch of the spacecraft in both ambient condition and thermal-vacuum condition, showing no detectable degradation in energy resolution. The in-orbit detector spectral performance and cryocooler cooling performance were also consistent with that on ground, indicating that the cryocoolers were not damaged by launch environment. The design and performance of the vibration isolation system along with the mechanism of how the microvibration could degrade the cryogenic detector is shown. Lessons learned from the development to mitigate unexpected issues are also described. (c) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011216

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The ASTRO-H mission was designed and developed through an international collaboration of JAXA, NASA, ESA, and the CSA. It was successfully launched on February 17, 2016, and then named Hitomi. During the in-orbit verification phase, the on-board observational instruments functioned as expected. The intricate coolant and refrigeration systems for soft X-ray spectrometer (SXS, a quantum micro-calorimeter) and soft X-ray imager (SXI, an X-ray CCD) also functioned as expected. However, on March 26, 2016, operations were prematurely terminated by a series of abnormal events and mishaps triggered by the attitude control system. These errors led to a fatal event: the loss of the solar panels on the Hitomi mission. The X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (or, XARM) is proposed to regain the key scientific advances anticipated by the international collaboration behind Hitomi. XARM will recover this science in the shortest time possible by focusing on one of the main science goals of Hitomi, "Resolving astrophysical problems by precise high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy".(1) This decision was reached after evaluating the performance of the instruments aboard Hitomi and the mission's initial scientific results, and considering the landscape of planned international X-ray astrophysics missions in 2020's and 2030's.Hitomi opened the door to high-resolution spectroscopy in the X-ray universe. It revealed a number of discrepancies between new observational results and prior theoretical predictions. Yet, the resolution pioneered by Hitomi is also the key to answering these and other fundamental questions. The high spectral resolution realized by XARM will not offer mere refinements; rather, it will enable qualitative leaps in astrophysics and plasma physics. XARM has therefore been given a broad scientific charge: "Revealing material circulation and energy transfer in cosmic plasmas and elucidating evolution of cosmic structures and objects". To fulfill this charge, four categories of science objectives that were defined for Hitomi will also be pursued by XARM; these include (1) Structure formation of the Universe and evolution of clusters of galaxies; (2) Circulation history of baryonic matters in the Universe; (3) Transport and circulation of energy in the Universe; (4) New science with unprecedented high resolution X-ray spectroscopy. In order to achieve these scientific objectives, XARM will carry a 6 x 6 pixelized X-ray micro-calorimeter on the focal plane of an X-ray mirror assembly, and an aligned X-ray CCD camera covering the same energy band and a wider field of view. This paper introduces the science objectives, mission concept, and observing plan of XARM.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2309455

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-SOC PHOTO-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERS  

We summarize all of the in-orbit operations of the soft x-ray spectrometer (SXS) onboard the ASTRO-H (Hitomi) satellite. The satellite was launched on February 17, 2016, and the communication with the satellite ceased on March 26, 2016. The SXS was still in the commissioning phase, in which the set-ups were progressively changed. This paper is intended to serve as a concise reference of the events in orbit in order to properly interpret the SXS data taken during its short lifetime and as a test case for planning the in-orbit operation for future microcalorimeter missions. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

DOI： 10.1117/1.JATIS.4.1.011205

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：NATURE RESEARCH  

The metal abundance of the hot plasma that permeates galaxy clusters represents the accumulation of heavy elements produced by billions of supernovae(1). Therefore, X-ray spectroscopy of the intracluster medium provides an opportunity to investigate the nature of supernova explosions integrated over cosmic time. In particular, the abundance of the iron-peak elements (chromium, manganese, iron and nickel) is key to understanding how the progenitors of typical type Ia supernovae evolve and explode(2-6). Recent X-ray studies of the intracluster medium found that the abundance ratios of these elements differ substantially from those seen in the Sun(7-11), suggesting differences between the nature of type Ia supernovae in the clusters and in the Milky Way. However, because the K-shell transition lines of chromium and manganese are weak and those of iron and nickel are very close in photon energy, highresolution spectroscopy is required for an accurate determination of the abundances of these elements. Here we report observations of the Perseus cluster, with statistically significant detections of the resonance emission from chromium, manganese and nickel. Our measurements, combined with the latest atomic models, reveal that these elements have near-solar abundance ratios with respect to iron, in contrast to previous claims. Comparison between our results and modern nucleosynthesis calculations(12-14) disfavours the hypothesis that type Ia supernova progenitors are exclusively white dwarfs with masses well below the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun). The observed abundance pattern of the iron-peak elements can be explained by taking into account a combination of near-and sub-Chandrasekhar-mass type Ia supernova systems, adding to the mounting evidence that both progenitor types make a substantial contribution to cosmic chemical enrichment(5,15,16).

DOI： 10.1038/nature24301

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：IOP PUBLISHING LTD  

X-ray spectroscopy with Hitomi was expected to resolve the origin of the faint unidentified E approximate to 3.5 keV emission line reported in several low-resolution studies of various massive systems, such as galaxies and clusters, including the Perseus cluster. We have analyzed the Hitomi first-light observation of the Perseus cluster. The emission line expected for Perseus based on the XMM-Newton signal from the large cluster sample under the dark matter decay scenario is too faint to be detectable in the Hitomi data. However, the previously reported 3.5 keV flux from Perseus was anomalously high compared to the sample-based prediction. We find no unidentified line at the reported high flux level. Taking into account the XMM measurement uncertainties for this region, the inconsistency with Hitomi is at a 99% significance for a broad dark matter line and at 99.7% for a narrow line from the gas. We do not find anomalously high fluxes of the nearby faint K line or the Ar satellite line that were proposed as explanations for the earlier 3.5 keV detections. We do find a hint of a broad excess near the energies of high-n transitions of S XVI (E similar or equal to 3.44 keV rest-frame)-a possible signature of charge exchange in the molecular nebula and another proposed explanation for the unidentified line. While its energy is consistent with XMM pn detections, it is unlikely to explain the MOS signal. A confirmation of this interesting feature has to wait for a more sensitive observation with a future calorimeter experiment.

DOI： 10.3847/2041-8213/aa61fa

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：IOP PUBLISHING LTD  

We found a simultaneous decrease of the Fe-K line and 4.2-6 keV continuum of Cassiopeia A with the monitoring data taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory in 2000-2013. The flux change rates in the whole remnant are -0.65 +/- 0.02% yr(-1) in the 4.2-6.0 keV continuum and -0.6 +/- 0.1% yr(-1) in the Fe-K line. In the eastern region where the thermal emission is considered to dominate, the variations show the largest values: -1.03 +/- 0.05% yr(-1) (4.2-6 keV band) and -0.6 +/- 0.1% yr(-1) (Fe-K line). In this region, the time evolution of the emission measure and the temperature have a decreasing trend. This could be interpreted as adiabatic cooling with the expansion of m = 0.66. On the other hand, in the non-thermal emission dominated regions, variations of the 4.2-6 keV continuum show smaller rates: -0.60 +/- 0.04% yr(-1) in the southwestern region, -0.46 +/- 0.05% yr(-1) in the inner region, and + 0.00 +/- 0.07% yr(-1) in the forward shock region. In particular, flux does not show significant change in the forward shock region. These results imply that strong braking in shock velocity has not been occurring in Cassiopeia A (< 5 km s(-1) yr(-1)). All of our results support the idea that X-ray flux decay in the remnant is mainly caused by thermal components.

DOI： 10.3847/1538-4357/836/2/225

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：IOP PUBLISHING LTD  

Diffusive shock acceleration by the shockwaves in supernova remnants (SNRs) is widely accepted as the dominant source for Galactic cosmic rays. However, it is unknown what determines the maximum energy of accelerated particles. The surrounding environment could be one of the key parameters. The SNR RCW 86 shows both thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission with different spatial morphologies. These emission originate from the shock-heated plasma and accelerated electrons respectively, and their intensities reflect their density distributions. Thus, the remnant provides a suitable laboratory to test possible association between the acceleration efficiency and the environment. In this paper, we present results of spatially resolved spectroscopy of the entire remnant with Suzaku. The spacially resolved spectra are well reproduced with a combination of a power-law for synchrotron emission and a two-component optically thin thermal plasma, corresponding to the shocked interstellar medium (ISM) with kT of 0.3-0.6 keV and Fe-dominated ejecta. It is discovered that the photon index of the nonthermal component becomes smaller when decreasing the emission measure of the shocked ISM, where the shock speed has remained high. This result implies that the maximum energy of accelerated electrons in RCW. 86 is higher in the low-density and higher shock speed regions.

DOI： 10.3847/1538-4357/835/1/34

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS  

Calorimetric X-ray detectors are very sensitive to their environment. The boundary conditions can have a profound effect on the gain including heat sink temperature, the local radiation temperature, bias, and the temperature of the readout electronics. Any variation in the boundary conditions can cause temporal variations in the gain of the detector and compromise both the energy scale and the resolving power of the spectrometer. Most production X-ray calorimeter spectrometers, both on the ground and in space, have some means of tracking the gain as a function of time, often using a calibration spectral line. For small gain changes, a linear stretch correction is often sufficient. However, the detectors are intrinsically non-linear and often the event analysis, i.e., shaping, optimal filters etc., add additional non-linearity. Thus for large gain variations or when the best possible precision is required, a linear stretch correction is not sufficient. Here, we discuss a new correction technique based on non-linear interpolation of the energy-scale functions. Using Astro-H/SXS calibration data, we demonstrate that the correction can recover the X-ray energy to better than 1 part in 10 over the entire spectral band to above 12 keV even for large-scale gain variations. This method will be used to correct any temporal drift of the on-orbit per-pixel gain using on-board calibration sources for the SXS instrument on the Astro-H observatory.

DOI： 10.1007/s10909-016-1503-2

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP  

Clusters of galaxies are the most massive gravitationally bound objects in the Universe and are still forming. They are thus important probes(1) of cosmological parameters and many astrophysical processes. However, knowledge of the dynamics of the pervasive hot gas, the mass of which is much larger than the combined mass of all the stars in the cluster, is lacking. Such knowledge would enable insights into the injection of mechanical energy by the central supermassive black hole and the use of hydrostatic equilibrium for determining cluster masses. X-rays from the core of the Perseus cluster are emitted by the 50-million-kelvin diffuse hot plasma filling its gravitational potential well. The active galactic nucleus of the central galaxy NGC 1275 is pumping jetted energy into the surrounding intracluster medium, creating buoyant bubbles filled with relativistic plasma. These bubbles probably induce motions in the intracluster medium and heat the inner gas, preventing runaway radiative cooling-a process known as active galactic nucleus feedback(2-6). Here we report X-ray observations of the core of the Perseus cluster, which reveal a remarkably quiescent atmosphere in which the gas has a line-of-sight velocity dispersion of 164 +/- 10 kilometres per second in the region 30-60 kiloparsecs from the central nucleus. A gradient in the line-of-sight velocity of 150 +/- 70 kilometres per second is found across the 60-kiloparsec image of the cluster core. Turbulent pressure support in the gas is four per cent of the thermodynamic pressure, with large-scale shear at most doubling this estimate. We infer that a total cluster mass determined from hydrostatic equilibrium in a central region would require little correction for turbulent pressure.

DOI： 10.1038/nature18627

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present an X-ray analysis on the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G298.6-0.0 observed with Suzaku. The X-ray image shows a center-filled structure inside a radio shell, implying that this SNR can be categorized as a mixed-morphology (MM) SNR. The spectrum is well reproduced by a single-temperature plasma model in ionization equilibrium, with a temperature of 0.78 (0.70-0.87) keV. The total plasma mass of 30 M-circle dot indicates that the plasma has an interstellar medium origin. The association with a GeV gamma-ray source, 3FGL J1214.0-6236, on the shell of the SNR is discussed, in comparison with other MM SNRs with GeV gamma-ray associations. It is found that the flux ratio between absorption-corrected thermal X-rays and GeV gamma-rays decreases as the physical size of MM SNRs becomes larger. The absorption-corrected thermal X-ray flux of G298.6-0.0 and the GeV gamma-ray flux of 3FGL J1214.0-6236 closely follow this trend, implying that 3FGL J1214.0-6236 is likely to be a GeV counterpart of G298.6-0.0.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psv096

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：American Astronomical Society  

ABSTRACT

We present the first dedicated X-ray study of the supernova remnant (SNR) G32.8−0.1 (Kes 78) with Suzaku. X-ray emission from the whole SNR shell has been detected for the first time. The X-ray morphology is well correlated with the emission from the radio shell, while anti-correlated with the molecular cloud found in the SNR field. The X-ray spectrum shows not only conventional low-temperature (kT ∼ 0.6 keV) thermal emission in a non-equilibrium ionization state, but also a very high-temperature (kT ∼ 3.4 keV) component with a very low ionization timescale (∼2.7 × 10⁹ cm⁻³ s), or a hard nonthermal component with a photon index Γ ∼ 2.3. The average density of the low-temperature plasma is rather low, of the order of 10⁻³–10⁻² cm⁻³, implying that this SNR is expanding into a low-density cavity. We discuss the X-ray emission of the SNR, also detected in TeV with H.E.S.S., together with multi-wavelength studies of the remnant and other gamma-ray emitting SNRs, such as W28 and RCW 86. Analysis of a time-variable source, 2XMM J185114.3−000004, found in the northern part of the SNR, is also reported for the first time. Rapid time variability and a heavily absorbed hard-X-ray spectrum suggest that this source could be a new supergiant fast X-ray transient.

DOI： 10.3847/0004-637x/818/1/63

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その他リンク： http://stacks.iop.org/0004-637X/818/i=1/a=63?key=crossref.600865fa5f5e5752f54e71baefa39316

掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）  

DOI： 10.1063/1.4961075

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掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）  

The Astro-H (Hitomi) Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) was a pioneering imaging x-ray spectrometer with 5 eV energy resolution at 6 keV. The instrument used a microcalorimeter array at the focus of a high-throughput soft x-ray telescope to enable high-resolution non-dispersive spectroscopy in the soft x-ray waveband (0:3-12 keV). We present the suite of ground calibration measurements acquired from 2012-2015, including characterization of the detector system, anti-coincidence detector, optical blocking filters, and filter-wheel filters. The calibration of the 36-pixel silicon thermistor microcalorimeter array includes parameterizations of the energy gain scale and line spread function for each event grade over a range of instrument operating conditions, as well as quantum efficiency measurements. The x-ray transmission of the set of five Al/polyimide thin-film optical blocking filters mounted inside the SXS dewar has been modeled based on measurements at synchrotron beamlines, including with high spectral resolution at the C, N, O, and Al K-edges. In addition, we present the x-ray transmission of the dewar gate valve and of the filters mounted on the SXS filter wheel (external to the dewar), including beryllium, polyimide, and neutral density filters.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2233053

Scopus

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

Astro-H (Hitomi) is an X-ray/Gamma-ray mission led by Japan with international participation, launched on February 17, 2016. The payload consists of four different instruments (SXS, SXI, HXI and SGD) that operate simultaneously to cover the energy range from 0.3 keV up to 600 keV. This paper presents the analysis software and the data processing pipeline created to calibrate and analyze the Hitomi science data along with the plan for the archive and user support. These activities have been a collaborative effort shared between scientists and software engineers working in several institutes in Japan and USA.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2234429

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a cryogenic high-resolution X-ray spectrometer onboard the ASTRO-H satellite, that achieves energy resolution better than 7 eV at 6 keV, by operating the detector array at 50 mK using an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. The cooling chain from room temperature to the ADR heat sink is composed of 2-stage Stirling cryocoolers, a He-4 Joule-Thomson cryocooler, and superfluid liquid He, and is installed in a dewar. It is designed to achieve a helium lifetime of more than 3 years with a minimum of 30 liters. The satellite was launched on 2016 February 17, and the SXS worked perfectly in orbit, until March 26 when the satellite lost its function. It was demonstrated that the heat load on the He tank was about 0.7 mW, which would have satisfied the lifetime requirement. This paper describes the design, results of ground performance tests, prelaunch operations, and initial operation and performance in orbit of the flight dewar and cryocoolers.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2232933

Scopus

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The SXS instrument was launched aboard the Astro-H observatory on February 17, 2016. The SXS spectrometer is based on a high sensitivity x-ray calorimeter detector system that has been successfully deployed in many ground and sub-orbital spectrometers. The instrument was to provide essential diagnostics for nearly every class of x-ray emitting objects from the atmosphere of Jupiter to the outskirts of galaxy clusters, without degradation for spatially extended objects. The SXS detector system consisted of a 36-pixel cryogenic microcalorimeter array operated at a heat sink temperature of 50 mK. In pre-flight testing, the detector system demonstrated a resolving power of better than 1300 at 6 keV with a simultaneous band-pass from below 0.3 keV to above 12 keV with a timing precision better than 100 mu s. In addition, a solid-state anti-coincidence detector was placed directly behind the detector array for background suppression. The detector error budget included the measured interference from the SXS cooling system and the spacecraft. Additional margin for on-orbit gain-stability, and on-orbit spacecraft interference were also included predicting an on-orbit performance that meets or exceeds the 7 eV FWHM at 6 keV requirement. The actual on-orbit spectral resolution was better than 5 eV FWHM at 6 keV, easily satisfying the instrument requirement. Here we discuss the actual on-orbit performance of the SXS detector system and compare this to performance in pre-flight testing and the on-orbit predictions. We will also discuss the on-orbit gain stability, additional on-orbit interference, and measurements of the on-orbit background.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2232799

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

We summarize results of the initial in-orbit performance of the pulse shape processor (PSP) of the soft x-ray spectrometer instrument onboard ASTRO-H (Hitomi). Event formats, kind of telemetry, and the pulse processing parameters are described, and the parameter settings in orbit are listed. PSP was powered-on two days after launch, and the event threshold was lowered in orbit. PSP worked fine in orbit, and there were no memory error nor SpaceWire communication error until the break-up of spacecraft. Time assignment, electrical crosstalk, and the event screening criteria are studied. It is confirmed that the event processing rate at 100% CPU load is similar to 200 c/s/array, compliant with the requirement on PSP.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2234222

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE  

We present the overall design and performance of the Astro-H (Hitomi) Soft X-Ray Spectrometer (SXS). The instrument uses a 36-pixel array of x-ray microcalorimeters at the focus of a grazing-incidence x-ray mirror Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT) for high-resolution spectroscopy of celestial x-ray sources. The instrument was designed to achieve an energy resolution better than 7 eV over the 0.3-12 keV energy range and operate for more than 3 years in orbit. The actual energy resolution of the instrument is 4-5 eV as demonstrated during extensive ground testing prior to launch and in orbit. The measured mass flow rate of the liquid helium cryogen and initial fill level at launch predict a lifetime of more than 4 years assuming steady mechanical cooler performance. Cryogen-free operation was successfully demonstrated prior to launch. The successful operation of the SXS in orbit, including the first observations of the velocity structure of the Perseus cluster of galaxies, demonstrates the viability and power of this technology as a tool for astrophysics.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2232509

Scopus

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) onboard the Astro-H (Hitomi) orbiting x-ray observatory featured an array of 36 silicon thermistor x-ray calorimeters optimized to perform high spectral resolution x-ray imaging spectroscopy of astrophysical sources in the 0.3-12 keV band. Extensive pre-flight calibration measurements are the basis for our modeling of the pulse-height-energy relation and energy resolution for each pixel and event grade, telescope collecting area, detector efficiency, and pulse arrival time.Because of the early termination of mission operations, we needed to extract the maximum information from observations performed only days into the mission when the onboard calibration sources had not yet been commissioned and the dewar was still coming into thermal equilibrium, so our technique for reconstructing the per-pixel time-dependent pulse-height-energy relation had to be modified. The gain scale was reconstructed using a combination of an absolute energy scale calibration at a single time using a fiducial from an onboard radioactive source, and calibration of a dominant time-dependent gain drift component using a dedicated calibration pixel, as well as a residual time-dependent variation using spectra from the Perseus cluster of galaxies.The energy resolution was also measured using the onboard radioactive sources. It is consistent with instrument-level measurements accounting for the modest increase in noise due to spacecraft systems interference. We use observations of two pulsars to validate our models of the telescope area and detector efficiency, and to derive a more accurate value for the thickness of the gate valve Be window, which had not been opened by the time mission operations ceased. We use observations of the Crab pulsar to refine the pixel-to-pixel timing and validate the absolute timing.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2234230

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) onboard ASTRO-H (named Hitomi after launch) is a microcalorimeter-type spectrometer, installed in a dewar to be cooled at 50 mK. The energy resolution of the SXS engineering model suffered from micro-vibration from cryocoolers mounted on the dewar. This is mitigated for the flight model by introducing vibration isolation systems between the cryocoolers and the dewar. The detector performance of the flight model was verified before launch of the spacecraft in both ambient condition and thermal-vac condition, showing no detectable degradation in energy resolution. The in-orbit performance was also consistent with that on ground, indicating that the cryocoolers were not damaged by launch environment. The design and performance of the vibration isolation system along with the mechanism of how the micro-vibration could degrade the cryogenic detector is shown.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2231832

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E > 2 keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft X-rays to gamma-rays. After a successful launch on 2016 February 17, the spacecraft lost its function on 2016 March 26, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the on-board instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2232379

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

We summarize all the in-orbit operations of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) onboard the ASTRO-H (Hitomi) satellite. The satellite was launched on 2016/02/17 and the communication with the satellite ceased on 2016/03/26. The SXS was still in the commissioning phase, in which the setups were progressively changed. This article is intended to serve as a reference of the events in the orbit to properly interpret the SXS data taken during its short life time, and as a test case for planning the in-orbit operation for future micro-calorimeter missions.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2231784

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We report on spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy of the north-eastern part of the mixed morphology supernova remnant (SNR) W 28 with XMM-Newton. The observed field of view includes a prominent and twisted shell emission forming the edge of this SNR as well as part of the center-filled X-ray emission brightening toward the south-west edge of the field of view. The shell region spectra are in general represented by an optically thin thermal plasma emission in collisional ionization equilibrium with a temperature of similar to 0.3 keV and a density of similar to 10cm(-3), which is much higher than the density obtained for inner parts. In contrast, we detected no significant X-ray flux from one of the TeV gamma-ray peaks with an upper-limit flux of 2.1 x 10(-14) erg cm(-2) s(-1) in the 2-10 keV band. The large flux ratio of TeV to X-ray, larger than 16, and the spatial coincidence of the molecular cloud and the TeV gamma-ray emission site indicate that the TeV gamma-ray of W 28 is pi(0)-decay emission originating from collisions between accelerated protons and molecular cloud protons. Comparing the spectrum in the TeV band and the X-ray upper limit, we obtained a weak upper limit on the magnetic field strength B <= 1500 mu G.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/psu031

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：IOP PUBLISHING LTD  

We present deep observations of the Galactic supernova remnant IC 443 with the Suzaku X-ray satellite. We find prominent K-shell lines from iron and nickel, together with a triangle residual at 8-10 keV, which corresponds to the energy of the radiative recombination continuum (RRC) of He-like iron. In addition, the wavy residuals have been seen at similar to 5.1 and similar to 5.5 keV. We confirm that the residuals show the first enhanced RRCs of He-and H-like calcium found in supernova remnants. These facts provide robust evidence for the recombining plasma. We reproduce the plasma in the 3.7-10 keV band using a recombining plasma model at the electron temperature 0.65 keV. The recombination parameter net (n(e) is electron density and t is elapsed time after formation of a recombining plasma) and abundances of iron and nickel are strongly correlated, and hence the errors are large. On the other hand, the ratio of nickel to iron relative to the solar abundances is well constrained to 11(-3)(+4) (1 sigma). A possibility is that the large abundance ratio is a result of an asymmetric explosion of the progenitor star.

DOI： 10.1088/0004-637X/784/1/74

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：NATL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES, CHIN ACAD SCIENCES  

Synchrotron X-rays can be a useful tool to investigate electron acceleration at young supernova remnants (SNRs). At present, since the magnetic field configuration around the shocks of SNRs is uncertain, it is not clear whether electron acceleration is limited by SNR age, synchrotron cooling, or even escape from the acceleration region. We study whether the acceleration mechanism can be constrained by the cutoff shape of the electron spectrum around the maximum energy. We derive analytical formulae of the cutoff shape in each case where the maximum electron energy is determined by SNR age, synchrotron cooling and escape from the shock. They are related to the energy dependence of the electron diffusion coefficient. Next, we discuss whether information on the cutoff shape can be provided by observations in the near future which will simply give the photon indices and the flux ratios in the soft and hard X-ray bands. We find that if the power-law index of the electron spectrum is independently determined by other observations, then we can constrain the cutoff shape by comparing theoretical predictions of the photon indices and/or the flux ratios with observed data which will be measured by NuSTAR and/or ASTRO-H. Such study is helpful in understanding the acceleration mechanism. In particular, it will supply another independent constraint on the magnetic field strength around the shocks of SNRs.

DOI： 10.1088/1674-4527/14/2/005

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES  

The thermal condition of ASTRO-H under air-cooled environment before launch is investigated with a thermal testing and a computational analysis. The thermal testing shows that the temperatures of devices are confirmed to be within the operating range if the additional fans are used. Moreover, the results of the thermal testing are compared with those of computational results. The computational results of temperature of the devices around the dewar with the additional fans are in good agreement with those of the thermal testing. The good agreement in the condition with the additional fans is because the forced convection, which is a dominant effect, is well captured in the computational analysis. Meanwhile, the computational results of temperature on the side panels are in very good agreement with thermal testing despite the difference in the flow outside satellite by air conditioner: computational analysis models the air flow from the air-conditioner while thermal testing does not. This is because the air-flow is very slow (0.1[m/s] at the side panel locations) and forced convection effects are very small.

DOI： 10.2322/tastj.12.To_4_1

CiNii Article

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

We present the development status of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) onboard the ASTRO-H mission. The SXS provides the capability of high energy-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of a FWHM energy resolution of < 7eV in the energy range of 0.3 - 10 keV. It utilizes an X-ray micorcalorimeter array operated at 50 mK. The SXS microcalorimeter subsystem is being developed in an EM-FM approach. The EM SXS cryostat was developed and fully tested and, although the design was generally confirmed, several anomalies and problems were found. Among them is the interference of the detector with the micro-vibrations from the mechanical coolers, which is the most difficult one to solve. We have pursued three different countermeasures and two of them seem to be effective. So far we have obtained energy resolutions satisfying the requirement with the FM cryostat.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2057199

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING  

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), with a planned launch in 2015. The ASTRO-H mission is equipped with a suite of sensitive instruments with the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E > 3 keV and a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft X-rays to gamma-rays. The simultaneous broad band pass, coupled with the high spectral resolution of Delta E <= 7 eV of the micro-calorimeter, will enable a wide variety of important science themes to be pursued. ASTRO-H is expected to provide breakthrough results in scientific areas as diverse as the large-scale structure of the Universe and its evolution, the behavior of matter in the gravitational strong field regime, the physical conditions in sites of cosmic-ray acceleration, and the distribution of dark matter in galaxy clusters at different redshifts.

DOI： 10.1117/12.2055681

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

We present a detailed analysis of X-ray emission from the middle-aged supernova remnant W 51 C and star-forming region W 51 B with Suzaku. The soft X-ray emission from W 51 C is well-represented by an optically thin thermal plasma in a non-equilibrium ionization state with a temperature of $ \sim$ 0.7 keV. The elemental abundance of Mg is significantly higher than the solar value. We find no significant feature of an over-ionized plasma in W 51 C. The hard X-ray emission is spatially coincident with the molecular clouds associated with W 51 B, overlapping with W 51 C. The spectrum is represented by an optically thin thermal plasma with a temperature of $ \sim$ 5 keV, or a powerlaw model with a photon index of $ \sim$ 2.2. The emission probably has a diffuse nature, since its luminosity of 1 $ \times$ 10$ ^{34}$ erg s$ ^{-1}$ in the 0.5–10 keV band cannot be explained by any emission from point sources in this region. We discuss the possibility that the hard X-ray emission comes from stellar winds of OB stars in W 51 B, or accelerated particles in W 51 C.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/65.2.42

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We report on new features of the typical mixed-morphology supernova remnant W44. In X-ray spectra obtained with Suzaku, radiative recombination continua of highly ionized atoms were detected for the first time. The spectra are well reproduced by a thermal plasma in a recombining phase. The best-fit parameters suggest that the electron temperature of the shock-heated matter rapidly cooled down from similar to 1 keV to similar to 0.5 keV, possibly due to adiabatic expansion (rarefaction), occurred similar to 20000 yr ago. We also discovered hard X-ray emission, which shows an arclike structure spatially correlating with a radio continuum filament. The surface-brightness distribution has a clear anticorrelation with (CO)-C-12 (J = 2-1) emission from a molecular cloud observed with NANTEN2. While the hard X-ray is most likely due to a synchrotron enhancement in the vicinity of the cloud, no current model can quantitatively predict the observed flux.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/64.6.141

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担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present Suzaku results of the mixed-morphology supernova remnant W 28. The X-ray spectra of the central region of W 28 exhibit many bright emission lines from highly ionized atoms. An optically thin thermal plasma in collisional ionization equilibrium, either of single temperature or multi temperatures, failed to reproduce the data with line-like and bump-like residuals at the Si-Ly alpha energy and at 2.4-5.0 keV, respectively. The bumps probably correspond to radiative recombination continua from He-like Si and S. A simple recombining plasma model nicely fit the bump structures, but failed to fit low-energy bands. The overall spectra can be fit with a multi-ionization-temperature plasma with a common electron temperature. The multi-ionization temperatures are interpreted as elemental differences of ionization and recombination timescales. These results prefer the rarefaction scenario for the origin of the recombining plasma.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/64.4.81

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：AMER INST PHYSICS  

X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS) onboard Suzaku is equipped with the Spaced-row Charge Injection (SCI) technique in order to suppress charge transfer inefficiency (CTI). The accuracy of the energy-scale has been getting worse. With the systematic analysis of the five-year data, we found that the accuracy deterioration is due to the unexpected behaviors of CTI: one is some discontinuous increases of CTI and the other is gradual time variation of its dependency on pulse heights of signal charges. By taking them into account, we upgraded the CTI correction method and achieved high accuracy of the energy scale both in the low and high-energy bands (<0.7% at similar to 1 keV and <0.1% at similar to 6 keV) over five years.

DOI： 10.1063/1.3696186

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記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（国際会議プロシーディングス）   出版者・発行元：AMER INST PHYSICS  

We report the early results of the Suzaku spectroscopic survey of recombining plasmas (RPs) in the supernova remnants (SNRs) W44 and W28. The X-ray spectra of both the SNRs exhibit the strong recombination edges of Si and S, which are typical characteristics of a RP. In both the SNRs, the ionization temperatures are found to be similar to 1.5-2 times higher than the electron temperatures. All of the five SNRs where the RPs had so far been detected are interacting with the molecular clouds (MCs) and are associated with the GeV/TeV gamma-ray sources. To investigate possible correlation of the RP with the MCs and the gamma-ray sources, we performed spatially resolved spectroscopy on W28.

DOI： 10.1063/1.3696202

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担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

The Tornado nebula (G357.7-0.1) is a mysterious radio source with a bright "head" and faint "tail" located in the direction of the Galactic center (GC) region. We here report on the discovery of two diffuse X-ray sources at the head and tail of Tornado with the Suzaku satellite. We found emission lines from highly ionized atoms in the two sources. The spectra have been reproduced by an optically thin thermal plasma with a common temperature of 0.6-0.7 keV. The interstellar absorption (N-H) of these sources are the same, and are slightly larger than that of the GC distance. Since the estimated distance using the N-H value is consistent with radio observations of Tornado, these X-ray sources are likely to be associated with the Tornado nebula. The twin-plasma morphology at both ends of Tornado suggests that the system is a bipolar/outflow source.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/63.sp3.S849

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担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV  

We report a direct detection method of fast neutrons and neutron/gamma-ray discrimination using a P-channel X-ray CCD. The CCD has a depletion layer of similar to 300 mu m and has a pixel size of 15 mu m x 15 mu m. With such a thick depletion layer, this device has a capability of being a neutron imager without any external converters. We conducted neutron irradiation experiments with the P-channel X-ray CCD by using a fast-neutron source (252)Cf, which also emits gamma-rays with an average energy of 0.85 MeV. We found two types of events in CCD images; one has a small point-like shape and the other has an elongated shape with a head-tail structure. Electrons scattered by the MeV gamma-rays travel much longer than silicon nuclei kicked by the fast neutrons. Therefore it is likely that the point-like events are produced by the neutrons, while the head-tail events are due to the gamma-rays. By analyzing the event shapes quantitatively, we conclude that the P-channel X-ray CCD can detect fast neutrons and the imaging capability of the CCD makes it possible to distinguish neutron-induced events from gamma-ray-induced events. The detection efficiency of the neutrons and the rejection factor of the gamma-rays with the CCD detector are about 0.4% and 70%, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.nima.2010.04.116

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担当区分：筆頭著者   記述言語：英語   掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：OXFORD UNIV PRESS  

We present a Suzaku X-ray Study of the Sagittarius D (Sgr D) H II it region in the Galactic center region. Two 18' x 18' images by the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS) encompass the entire Sgr D complex. Thanks to the low background, XIS discovered two diffuse sources with low surface brightness and obtained their high signal-to-noise ratio spectra. One is associated with the core of the Sgr D H II region, arising from a young stellar cluster. The other object is new and reported here for the first time. We also present 3.5 cm and 6.0 cm radio continuum maps of the new source using the 100-m Green Batik Telescope. We conclude that the source is a new supernova remnant (SNR; G 1.2-0.0) based on: (1) the 0.9 +/- 0.2 keV thermal X-ray spectrum with emission lines from highly ionized atoms; (2) the diffuse nature with an apparent extent of similar to 10 pc at the Galactic center distance inferred from the X-ray absorption (similar to 8.5 x 10(22) cm(-2)); and (3) the nonthermal radio continuum spectral index (similar to-0.5). Our discovery of an SNR in the Sgr D H if region leads to a revision of the view of this system, which had been considered to be a thermal H II region and its environment.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/61.sp1.S209

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掲載種別：研究論文（学術雑誌）   出版者・発行元：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

We report Suzaku results concerning HESS J1614$-$518, which is the brightest extended TeV gamma-ray source discovered in the Galactic plane survey conducted using the H.E.S.S. telescope. We discovered three X-ray objects in the field of view of the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer, which were designated as Suzaku J1614$-$5141 (src A), Suzaku J1614$-$5152 (src B), and Suzaku J1614$-$5148 (src C). Src A is an extended source located at the peak position of HESS J1614$-$518, and is therefore a plausible counterpart to HESS J1614$-$518. The X-ray flux in the 2-10keV band is 5$\times 10^{-13}$ergs$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$, which is an order of magnitude smaller than the TeV flux. The photon index is 1.7, which is smaller than the canonical value of synchrotron emissions from high-energy electrons found in some supernova remnants. These findings present a challenge to models in which the origin of TeV emission is inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background by accelerated electrons that emit X-rays via synchrotron emission. Src B is located at a relatively dim region in the TeV band image; however, its hydrogen column density is the same as that of src A. Therefore, src B may also be physically related to HESS J1614$-$518. Src C is a foreground late-type B star. We also discovered soft extended X-ray emission near HESS J1614$-$518.

DOI： 10.1093/pasj/60.sp1.s163

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