辻本 匡弘

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 104 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.

The Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE) is an apparently extended X-ray emission along the Galactic plane. The X-ray spectrum is characterized by a hard continuum with a strong Fe K emission feature in the 6-7 keV band. A substantial fraction (80%) of the GRXE in the Fe band was resolved into point sources by deep Chandra imaging observations; thus GRXE is mostly composed of dim Galactic X-ray point sources, at least in this energy band. To investigate the populations of these dim X-ray point sources, we carried out near-infrared (NIR) follow-up spectroscopic observations in two deep Chandra fields located in the Galactic plane at (l, b) = (0°. 1, -1°. 4) and (28°. 5, 0°. 0) using NTT/SofI and Subaru/MOIRCS. We obtained well-exposed NIR spectra from 65 objects and found that there are three main classes of Galactic sources based on the X-ray color and NIR spectral features: those having (A) hard X-ray spectra and NIR emission features such as HI (Brγ), He I, and HeII (2 objects), (B) soft X-ray spectra and NIR absorption features such as HI, NaI, CaI, and CO (46 objects), and (C) hard X-ray spectra and NIR absorption features such as HI, NaI, CaI, and CO (17 objects). From these features, we argue that classA sources are cataclysmic variables (CVs), and class B sources are late-type stars with enhanced coronal activity, which is in agreement with current knowledge. Class C sources possibly belong to a new group of objects, which has been poorly studied so far. We argue that the candidate sources for class C are the binary systems hosting white dwarfs and late-type companions with very low accretion rates. It is likely that this newly recognized class of sources contribute to a non-negligible fraction of the GRXE, especially in the Fe K band.

<p>2016年2月17日に打ち上げられたASTRO-H (ひとみ) 衛星に搭載された精密X線分光装置 SXS (Soft X-ray Spectrometer) は，40日弱の限られた期間ではあったが，軌道上において正常に動作し，天体のデータも取得できた．SXS の軌道上での性能について報告する．</p>

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.

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.

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.

The ASTRO-H satellite is an X-ray astronomy satellite currently planned to be launched in 2015. It is a successor of the series of Japan’s X-ray astronomy satellites, and is being developed under an international collaboration with the US, some European countries, and Canada. The satellite carries four scientific payloads: SXS (soft X-ray spectrometer), SXI (soft X-ray imager), HXI (hard X-ray imager), and SGD (soft gamma-ray detector), providing a non-dispersive high-resolution spectroscopic capability with SXS and a wide energy coverage with the four instruments. We present the status of the development and some of the scientific prospects related to the interest of the session, which includes high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of neutron stars.

We present the results of X-ray and Near-Infrared observations of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE). We extracted 2,002 X-ray point sources in the Chandra Bulge Field (l =0?.113, b = 1?.424) down to ∼10-14.8 ergs cm-2 s-1 in 2-8 keV band with the longest observation (∼900 ks) of the GRXE. Based on X-ray brightness and hardness, we classified the X-ray point sources into three groups: A (hard), B (soft and broad spectrum), and C (soft and peaked spectrum). In order to know populations of the X-ray point sources, we carried out NIR imaging and spectroscopy observation. We identified ∼11% of X-ray point sources with NIR and extracted NIR spectra for some of them. Based on X-ray and NIR properties, we concluded that non-thermal sources in the group A are mostly active galactic nuclei and the thermal sources are mostly white dwarf binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs) and Pre-CVs. We concluded that the group B and C sources are X-ray active stars in flare and quiescence, respectively.

The soft X-ray spectrometer (SXS) aboard ASTRO-H is equipped with dedicated digital signal processing units called pulse shape processors (PSPs). The X-ray microcalorimeter system SXS has 36 sensor pixels, which are operated at 50 mK to measure heat input of X-ray photons and realize an energy resolution of 7 eV FWHM in the range 0.3-12.0 keV. Front-end signal processing electronics are used to filter and amplify the electrical pulse output from the sensor and for analog-to-digital conversion. The digitized pulses from the 36 pixels are multiplexed and are sent to the PSP over lowvoltage differential signaling lines. Each of two identical PSP units consists of an FPGA board, which assists the hardware logic, and two CPU boards, which assist the onboard software. The FPGA board triggers at every pixel event and stores the triggering information as a pulse waveform in the installed memory. The CPU boards read the event data to evaluate pulse heights by an optimal filtering algorithm. The evaluated X-ray photon data (including the pixel ID, energy, and arrival time information) are transferred to the satellite data recorder along with event quality information. The PSP units have been developed and tested with the engineering model (EM) and the flight model. Utilizing the EM PSP, we successfully verified the entire hardware system and the basic software design of the PSPs, including their communication capability and signal processing performance. In this paper, we show the key metrics of the EM test, such as accuracy and synchronicity of sampling clocks, event grading capability, and resultant energy resolution.

We present deep and high-resolution (FWHM ~ 0.4 arcsec) near-infrared (NIR) imaging observations of the NGC 7538 IRS 1-3 region (in JHK bands), and IRS 9 region (in HK bands) using the 8.2m Subaru telescope. The NIR analysis is complemented with Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) low-frequency observations at 325, 610, and 1280 MHz, molecular line observations of H13CO+(J=1-0), and archival Chandra X-ray observations. Using the 'J - H/H - K' diagram, 144 Class II and 24 Class I young stellar object (YSO) candidates are identified in the IRS 1-3 region. Further analysis using 'K/H - K' diagram yields 145 and 96 red sources in the IRS 1-3 and IRS 9 regions, respectively. A total of 27 sources are found to have X-ray counterparts. TheYSOmass function (MF), constructed using a theoretical mass-luminosity relation, shows peaks at substellar (~0.08-0.18M⊙ ) and intermediate (~1- 1.78M⊙ ) mass ranges for the IRS 1-3 region. The MF can be fitted by a power law in the low-mass regime with a slope of Γ ~ 0.54-0.75, which is much shallower than the Salpeter value of 1.35. An upper limit of 10.2 is obtained for the star to brown dwarf ratio in the IRS 1-3 region. GMRT maps show a compact H II region associated with the IRS 1-3 sources, whose spectral index of 0.87 ± 0.11 suggests optical thickness. This compact region is resolved into three separate peaks in higher resolution 1280 MHz map, and the 'east' subpeak coincides with the IRS 2 source. H13CO+ (J=1-0) emission reveals peaks in both IRS 1-3 and IRS 9 regions, none of which are coincident with visible nebular emission, suggesting the presence of dense cloud nearby. The virial masses are approximately of the order of 1000 and 500M⊙ for the clumps in IRS 1-3 and IRS 9 regions, respectively. © 2014 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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.

During a routine calibration observation of 1E 0102.2-7219 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), carried out in 2012 October for the Suzaku satellite, we detected a transient X-ray source at (RA, Dec) = (01(h)02(m)47(s), -72 degrees 04(m)54(s)) in the equinox J2000.0 with a positional uncertainty of similar to 1.'' 4. We conducted a temporal and spectral analysis of the source and found a coherent pulse signal with a period of 522.3 +/- 0.1 s. We also found a featureless spectrum described by a single power-law model with a photon index of 1.0(-0.1)(+0.1) and a 0.5-10 keV luminosity of similar to 8.8 x 10(35) ergs s(-1) at an assumed distance of 60 kpc. The Suzaku source is likely to be the counterpart of 2XMM J010247.4-720449, which has been observed several times, including outburst detected by Swift. Based on the X-ray characteristics from our data, as well as the transient record and optical and near-infrared features described in the literature, we conclude that this source is a high-mass X-ray binary pulsar with a Be star companion in the SMC, which is known to harbor an exceptionally large (80) number of such sources compared to that in our Galaxy.

Apparently diffuse X-ray emission has been known to exist along the central quarter of the Galactic Plane since the beginning of X-ray astronomy; this is referred to as the Galactic Ridge X-ray emission (GRXE). Recent deep X-ray observations have shown that numerous X-ray point sources account for a large fraction of the GRXE in the hard band (2-8 keV). However, the nature of these sources is poorly understood. Using the deepest X-ray observations made in the Chandra bulge field, we present the result of a coherent photometric and spectroscopic analysis of individual X-ray point sources for the purpose of constraining their nature and deriving their fractional contributions to the hard-band continuum and Fe K line emission of the GRXE. Based on the X-ray color-color diagram, we divided the point sources into three groups: A (hard), B (soft and broad spectrum), and C (soft and peaked spectrum). The group A sources are further decomposed spectrally into thermal and non-thermal sources with different fractions in different flux ranges. From their X-ray properties, we speculate that the group A non-thermal sources are mostly active galactic nuclei and the thermal sources are mostly white dwarf (WD) binaries such as magnetic and non-magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs), pre-CVs, and symbiotic stars, whereas the group B and C sources are X-ray active stars in flares and quiescence, respectively. In the log N-log S curve of the 2-8 keV band, the group A non-thermal sources are dominant above ≈10-14 erg cm -2 s-1, which is gradually taken over by Galactic sources in the fainter flux ranges. The Fe Kα emission is mostly from the group A thermal (WD binaries) and the group B (X-ray active stars) sources. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

We report the Suzaku detection of the earliest X-ray eclipse seen in the recurrent nova U Scorpii 2010. A target-of-opportunity observation 15 days after the outburst found a 27% ± 5% dimming in the 0.2-1.0 keV energy band at the predicted center of an eclipse. In comparison with the X-ray eclipse depths seen at two later epochs by XMM-Newton, the source region shrank by about 10%-20% between days 15 and 35 after the outburst. The X-ray eclipses appear to be deeper than or similar to contemporaneous optical eclipses, suggesting the X-ray and optical source region extents are comparable on day 15. We raise the possibility of the energy dependency in the photon escape regions, and that this would be a result of the supersoft X-ray opacity being higher than the Thomson scattering opacity at the photosphere due to bound-free transitions in abundant metals that are not fully ionized. Assuming a spherically symmetric model, we constrain the mass-loss rate as a function of time. For a ratio of actual to Thomson opacity of 10-100 in supersoft X-rays, we find an ejecta mass of about 10-7-10-6 M . © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

ORIGIN is a proposal for the M3 mission call of ESA aimed at the study of metal creation from the epoch of cosmic dawn. Using high-spectral resolution in the soft X-ray band, ORIGIN will be able to identify the physical conditions of all abundant elements between C and Ni to red-shifts of z = 10, and beyond. The mission will answer questions such as: When were the first metals created? How does the cosmic metal content evolve? Where do most of the metals reside in the Universe? What is the role of metals in structure formation and evolution? To reach out to the early Universe ORIGIN will use Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) to study their local environments in their host galaxies. This requires the capability to slew the satellite in less than a minute to the GRB location. By studying the chemical composition and properties of clusters of galaxies we can extend the range of exploration to lower redshifts (z similar to 0.2). For this task we need a high-resolution spectral imaging instrument with a large field of view. Using the same instrument, we can also study the so far only partially detected baryons in the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM). The less dense part of the WHIM will be studied using absorption lines at low redshift in the spectra for GRBs. The ORIGIN mission includes a Transient Event Detector (coded mask with a sensitivity of 0.4 photon/cm(2)/s in 10 s in the 5-150 keV band) to identify and localize 2000 GRBs over a five year mission, of which similar to 65 GRBs have a redshift > 7. The Cryogenic Imaging Spectrometer, with a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV, a field of view of 30 arcmin and large effective area below 1 keV has the sensitivity to study clusters up to a significant fraction of the virial radius and to map the denser parts of the WHIM (factor 30 higher than achievable with current instruments). The payload is complemented by a Burst InfraRed Telescope to enable onboard red-shift determination of GRBs (hence securing proper follow up of high-z bursts) and also probes the mildly ionized state of the gas. Fast repointing is achieved by a dedicated Controlled Momentum Gyro and a low background is achieved by the selected low Earth orbit.

We present the result of a Suzaku X-ray spectroscopic observation of the dwarf nova Z Cam, which was conducted by chance at the onset of an optical outburst. We used the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (a 38 ks exposure) and the Hard X-ray Detector (34 ks) to obtain a 0.35-40 keV spectrum simultaneously. Spectral characteristics suggest that the source was in the X-ray quiescent state, despite being in the rising phase of an outburst in the optical band. The spectrum shows a clear signature of circumstellar absorption in excess of interstellar absorption and the reprocessed-emission features of Fe fluorescence and Compton scattering. The extra absorption is explained as being due to partial covering by either neutral or ionized matter. We found a spectral change during the observation, which is attributable only to a change in the circumstellar absorption. Such an X-ray spectral variation was reported for the first time in the case of dwarf novae. We speculate that the variation in the circumstellar absorption is interpreted as a time-varying disk wind, or geometrically flaring disk around the white dwarf during the propagation of a heat wave along inward the accretion disk at the beginning of the outburst, in which optical outburst and X-ray quiescent states co-exist.

The X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS; [1]) has been in operation for more than six years in the orbit. The X-ray CCD instrument is subject to degradation in the orbit both continuously (e.g., increase in CTI) and discontinuously (e.g., micro-meteorite impacts). The XIS team continues their calibration and operation efforts to maintain the best performance that it can achieve. In this article, we summarize the results obtained since the previous Suzaku conference held in June 2009. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the highenergy universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range, from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution, high-Throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-12 keV with high spectral resolution of ?E 5 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12 keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the 40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science themes. © 2012 SPIE.

Fermi is discovering many new gamma-ray sources, and 1FGL J1227.9-4852 is one of them. Recent studies suggest that this source is associated with the X-ray source XSS J12270-4859 (here-after J12270), of which nature is poorly understood. In this paper, we show results of our Suzaku and RXTE X-ray observations which are partly simultaneous with near-infrared (NIR) observations using InfraRed Survey Facility (IRSF). We found that J12270 shows (1) no emission lines in the X-ray spectra, (2) unique rapid temporal variations in X-rays, and (3) almost simultaneous X-ray and NIR flares. To investigate its nature, we constructed a spectral energy distribution (SED) from radio to gamma-rays. Because of the similarity of its SED with those of other microquasars, we propose that J12270 is a microquasar with a synchrotron jet, and also the first gamma-ray emitting low-mass X-ray binary.

We carried out a Suzaku observation for 100 ksec on the Chandra deep observation region (1, b) approximate to (0.degrees 08, -1.degrees 42), and also reanalyzed the Chandra archival data. We found the Suzaku and Chandra GRXE absolute fluxes are consistent, and it is about twice of the Chandra total point source flux above 6 keV. We resolved the Fe K-complex component into the neutral or low-ionized (6.40 keV), He-like (6.67 keV) and H-like (6.97 keV) lines, and studied latitudinal dependence of the Fe line intensity, using multiple Suzaku pointings perpendicular to the Galactic plane. Consequently, we found not only Fe line fluxes but also their equivalent widths significantly decrease with Galactic latitudes. Our results are difficult to be reconciled with the point source model, but may be explained if there is some excess diffuse component of the GRXE accompaning hardly Fe line emission and has a larger Galactic scale height than that of the point sources.

The science and an overview of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer onboard the STRO-H mission are presented. The SXS consists of X-ray focusing mirrors and a microcalorimeter array and is developed by international collaboration lead by JAXA and NASA with European participation. The detector is a 6 × 6 format microcalorimeter array operated at a cryogenic temperature of 50 mK and covers a 3' × 3' field of view of the X-ray telescope of 5.6 m focal length. We expect an energy resolution better than 7 eV (FWHM, requirement) with a goal of 4 eV. The effective area of the instrument will be 225 cm2 at 7 keV; by a factor of about two larger than that of the X-ray microcalorimeter on board Suzaku. One of the main scientific objectives of the SXS is to investigate turbulent and/or macroscopic motions of hot gas in clusters of galaxies. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012.

The Pulse Shape Processor is a digital signal processing electronics for the microcalorimeter instrument onboard ASTRO-H. Receiving digitized waveform (14 bit, 12.5 kHz sample) from 2×18 channels, two identical units of PSP-A and -B trigger X-ray events, assign five kinds of event grade, and perform optimal filtering to measure energy deposit on the 6 × 6 microcalorimeter pixels. One unit of PSP is composed of one FPGA board and two CPU boards. This paper describes the event processing algorithm to fulfill requirements for the signal processing, and task sharing between FPGA and CPU. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012.

We report the design and the performance of the engineering model of the digital signal processing system called the Pulse Shape Processor (PSP) for the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) onboard the ASTRO-H satellite. The SXS employs an X-ray microcalorimeter system, in which X-ray photons are detected as a heat pulse due to photoelectric absorption. The pixelized HgTe absorbers are cooled down to 50 mK. The required energy resolution is 7 eV (FWHM) at 6 keV. Since the data link to the satellite data recorder is limited to 200 kbit s -1, the onboard digital processor PSP plays a critical role in achieving the required resolution. The PSP is also the rate-limiting factor for other performance of the SXS, such as maximum count rate and energy range. In this paper, we show the design of the PSP, and show the performance based on a series of laboratory tests performed with the engineering models of the detector and the analog readout electronics. We found that (1) the PSP can register energy in the 0.07-18 keV band [energy range], (2) the energy resolution of the engineering model system, including the detector, analog electronics, and the PSP, is 4.8-5.7 eV at 5.9 keV [energy resolution], and (3) the PSP has sufficient processing power to handle a point-like source fainter than 0.3 Crab [maximum count rate]. These results are expected to be quite similar to those with the flight model, thus the results will be useful for the observation planning using the SXS. © 2012 IEEE.

We present the results of a systematic study of pileup phenomena seen in the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer, an X-ray CCD instrument, onboard the Suzaku observatory. Using a data set of observed sources in a wide range of brightness and spectral hardness, we characterized the pileup fraction, spectral hardening, and grade migration as a function of the observed count rate in a frame per pixel. Using the pileup fraction as a measure of the degree of pileup, we found that the relative spectral hardening (the hardness ratio normalized to the intrinsic spectral hardness), branching ratio of split events, and that of detached events increase monotonically as the pileup fraction increases, despite the variety of brightness and hardness of the sample sources. We derived the pileup fraction as a function of radius used for event extraction. Upon practical considerations, we found that events outside of the radius with a pileup fraction of 1% or 3% are useful for spectral analysis. We present relevant figures, tables, and software for the convenience of users who wish to apply our method for their data reduction of piled-up sources.© 2012. Astronomical Society of Japan.

The Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE) is an apparently extended emission along the Galactic Plane. Its origin has been a mystery for a long time. However, recent study revealed that about 80% of the GRXE is consist of dim X-ray point sources. It raises a new question, what are the populations of them? In this study, we identified X-ray point sources constituting the GRXE with near-infrared (NIR) and obtained NIR spectra. The spectra suggest that almost the sources are late-type stars.

XSS J12270-4859 (J12270) is an enigmatic source of unknown nature. Previous studies revealed that the source has unusual X-ray temporal characteristics, including repetitive short-term flares, followed by spectral hardening, non-periodic dips, and dichotomy in activity; i.e., intervals filled with flares and those without. Together with a power-law X-ray spectrum, it is suggested to be a low-mass X-ray binary. In order to better understand the object, we present the results of our near-infrared (NIR) photometry and linear polarimetry observations as well as X-ray spectroscopy observations, which overlap with each other partially in time, taken respectively with the InfraRed Survey Facility (IRSF) and the Rossi X-ray Tinting Explorer (RXTE). We detected several simultaneous NIR and X-ray flares for the first time. No significant NIR polarization was obtained. We assembled data taken with IRSF, RXTE, Suzaku, Swift, and other missions in the literature and compared the flare profile and the spectral energy distribution (SED) with some representative high-energy sources. Based on some similarities of the repetitive NIR and X-ray flaring characteristics and the broad SED, we argue that J12270 is reminiscent of microquasars with a synchrotron jet, which is at a very low-luminosity state of approximate to 10(-4) Eddington luminosity for a stellar mass black hole or neutron star at a reference distance of 1 kpc.

Context. For many years, X-ray astronomy missions have used the Crab nebula as a celestial calibration source for the X-ray flux and spectral shape. However, the object is often too bright for current and future missions equipped with instruments with improved sensitivity. Aims. We use G21.5-0.9, a pulsar-wind nebula with a time-constant power-law spectrum and a flux of a few milli-Crab in the X-ray band, as a viable, fainter substitute to the Crab. Using this source, we conduct a cross-calibration study of the instruments onboard currently active observatories: Chandra ACIS, Suzaku XIS, Swift XRT, and XMM-Newton EPIC (MOS and pn) for the soft-band, and INTEGRAL IBIS-ISGRI, RXTE PCA, and Suzaku HXD-PIN for the hard band. Methods. We extract spectra from all instruments and fit under the same astrophysical assumptions. We compare the spectral parameters of the G21.5-0.9 model: power-law photon index, H-equivalent column density of the interstellar photoelectric absorption, and flux in the soft (2-8 keV) or hard (15-50 keV) energy band. Results. We identify systematic differences in the best-fit parameter values unattributable to statistical scatter of the data alone. We interpret these differences as due to residual cross-calibration problems. The differences can be as large as 20% and 9% for the soft-band flux and power-law index, respectively, and 46% for the hard-band flux. The results are plotted and tabulated as a useful reference for future calibration and scientific studies using multiple missions. © 2010 ESO.

We conducted an X-ray spectroscopic study of the classical nova V2491 Cygni using our target-of-opportunity observation data with the Suzaku and XMM-Newton satellites as well as archived data with the Swift satellite. Medium-resolution (R ∼ 10-50) spectra were obtained using the X-ray CCD spectrometers at several post-nova epochs on days 9, 29, 40, 50, and 60-150 in addition to a pre-nova interval between days -322 and -100, all relative to the time when the classical nova was spotted. We found remarkable changes in the time series of the spectra: (a) In the pre-nova phase and on day 9, the 6.7 keV emission line from Fe XXV was significantly detected. (b) On day 29, no such emission line was found. (c) On day 40, the 6.7 keV emission line emerged again. (d) On days 50 and 60-150, three emission lines at 6.4, 6.7, and 7.0 keV, respectively, from quasi-neutral Fe, Fe XXV, and Fe XXVI were found. Statistically significant changes of the Fe K line intensities were confirmed between days 29 and 50. Based on these phenomena, we conclude that: (1) the post-nova evolution can be divided into two different phases, (2) ejecta is responsible for the X-ray emission in the earlier phase, while rekindled accretion is responsible for the later phase, and (3) the accretion process is considered to be reestablished as early as day 50 when the quasi-neutral Fe emission line emerged, which is a common signature of accretion from magnetic cataclysmic variables. © 2011. Astronomical Society of Japan.

Helicobacter pylori infection plays a key role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated diseases, including gastroduodenal and non-gastroduodenal diseases. A 71-year-old man was evaluated for a positive fecal occult blood test by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which revealed H. pylori infection, two adenocarcinomas and two gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas. Hematological examination revealed low platelet-count, elevated platelet-associated immunoglobulin G and anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies. We diagnosed H. pylori infection complicated by simultaneous occurrence of gastric cancer, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. These diseases were successfully treated with laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy and splenectomy, and there was no evidence of recurrence for about 2 years. This is the first reported case of H. pylori infection complicated by these three diseases and cured with laparoscopic surgery. © 2011 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Variable ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), which are considered to be black hole binaries (BHBs), are known to show state transitions similar to Galactic BHBs. However, the relation between the ULX states and the Galactic BHB states is still unclear, primarily due to the less well-understood behaviors of ULXs in contrast to the Galactic BHBs. Here, we report a statistical X-ray spectral study of 34 energy spectra from seven bright ULXs in the interacting galaxy systems M 51 and NGC 4490/85, using archive data from multiple Chandra and XMM-Newton observations spanning a few years. In order to compare them with Galactic BHB states, we applied representative spectral models of BHBs-a power-law (PL), a multi-color disk blackbody (MCD), and a slim-disk model-to all the ULX spectra. We found a hint of a bimodal structure in the luminosity distribution of the samples, suggesting that ULXs have two states that respectively have typical luminosities of (3-6) x 10(39) and (1.5-3) x 10(39) ergs s(-1). Most spectra in the brighter state are explained by the MCD or the slim-disk model, whereas those in the fainter state are explained by the PL model. In particular, the slim-disk model successfully explains the observed spectral variations of NGC 4490/85 ULX-6 and ULX-8 by changes of the mass accretion rate to a black hole of an estimated mass of <40 M-circle dot. From the best-fit model parameters of each state, we speculate that the brighter state in these two ULXs corresponds to the brightest state of Galactic BHBs, which is often called the "apparently standard state." The fainter state of the ULXs has a PL-shaped spectrum, but the photon index range is much wider than that seen in any single state of Galactic BHBs. We thus speculate that it is a state unique to ULXs. Some sources show much fainter and steeper spectra than the faint state, which we identified as yet another state.

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy universe by performing high-resolution, high-throughput spectroscopy with moderate angular resolution. ASTRO-H covers very wide energy range from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. ASTRO-H allows a combination of wide band X-ray spectroscopy (5-80 keV) provided by multilayer coating, focusing hard X-ray mirrors and hard X-ray imaging detectors, and high energy-resolution soft X-ray spectroscopy (0.3-12 keV) provided by thin-foil X-ray optics and a micro-calorimeter array. The mission will also carry an X-ray CCD camera as a focal plane detector for a soft X-ray telescope (0.4-12 keV) and a non-focusing soft gamma-ray detector (40-600 keV). The micro-calorimeter system is developed by an international collaboration led by ISAS/JAXA and NASA. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral resolution of ΔE ~7 eV provided by the micro-calorimeter will enable a wide variety of important science themes to be pursued.

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a cryogenic high resolution X-ray spectrometer onboard the X-ray astronomy satellite ASTRO-H. The detector array is cooled down to 50 mK using a 3-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The cooling chain from room temperature to the ADR heat-sink is composed of superfluid liquid He, a He-4 Joule-Thomson cryocooler, and 2-stage Stirling cryocoolers. It is designed to keep 30 L of liquid He for more than 3 years in the nominal case. It is also designed with redundant subsystems throughout from room temperature to the ADR heat-sink, to alleviate failure of a single cryocooler or loss of liquid He.

One of the instruments on the International X-ray Observatory (IXO), under study with NASA, ESA and JAXA, is the X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS). This instrument, which will provide high spectral resolution images, is based on X-ray micro-calorimeters with Transition Edge Sensor (TES) with absorbers that consist of metal and semi-metal layers and a multiplexed SQUID readout. The requirements for this instrument are demanding. In the central array (40 x 40 pixels) an energy resolution of &lt;2.5 eV is required, whereas the energy resolution of the outer array is more relaxed (approximate to 10 eV) but the detection elements have to be a factor 16 larger in order to keep the number of read-out channels acceptable for a cryogenic instrument. Due to the large collection area of the IXO optics, the XMS instrument must be capable of processing high counting rates, while maintaining the spectral resolution and a low deadtime. In addition, an anti-coincidence detector is required to suppress the particle-induced background. In this paper we will summarize the instrument status and performance. We will describe the results of design studies for the focal plane assembly and the cooling systems. Also the system and its required spacecraft resources will be given.

We present the science and an overview of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer onboard the ASTRO-H mission with emphasis on the detector system. The SXS consists of X-ray focusing mirrors and a microcalorimeter array and is developed by international collaboration lead by JAXA and NASA with European participation. The detector is a 6×6 format microcalorimeter array operated at a cryogenic temperature of 50 mK and covers a 3′ ×3′ filed of view of the X-ray telescope of 5.6 m focal length. We expect an energy resolution better than 7 eV (FWHM, requirement) with a goal of 4 eV. The effective area of the instrument will be 225 cm2 at 7 keV by a factor of about two larger than that of the X-ray microcalorimeter on board Suzaku. One of the main scientific objectives of the SXS is to investigate turbulent and/or macroscopic motions of hot gas in clusters of galaxies. © 2010 SPIE.

We have modelled a detailed physical structure of protoplanetary disks, taking into account X-ray and UV irradiation from a central star, as well as dust size growth and settling towards the disk midplane. In addition, we have calculated the level populations and line emission of molecular hydrogen in the disks. As a result, we reproduce the observed strong line flux if the disks are influenced by strong UV and X-ray irradiation. Also, the dust evolution changes the physical properties of the disk, and thus the H2 line ratios. © EAS, EDP Sciences, 2010.

金沢大学理工研究域数物科学系The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a cryogenic high resolution X-ray spectrometer onboard the X-ray astronomy satellite Astro-H which will be launched in 2014. The detector array is cooled down to 50 mK using an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The cooling chain from the room temperature to the ADR heat-sink is composed of superfluid liquid He, a Joule-Thomson cryocooler, and double-stage Stirling cryocoolers. It is designed to keep 30 l of liquid He for more than 5 years in the normal case, and longer than 3 years even if one of the cryocoolers fails. Cryogen-free operation is also possible in the normal case. It is fully redundant from the room temperature to the ADR heat-sink. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

X-ray charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are the workhorse detectors of modern X-ray astronomy. Typically covering the 0.3-10.0 keV energy range, CCDs are able to detect photoelectric absorption edges and K shell lines from most abundant metals. New CCDs also offer resolutions of 30-50 (E/ΔE), which is sufficient to detect lines in hot plasmas and to resolve many lines shaped by dynamical processes in accretion flows. The spectral capabilities of X-ray CCDs have been particularly important in detecting relativistic emission lines from the inner disks around accreting neutron stars and black holes. One drawback of X-ray CCDs is that spectra can be distorted by photon "pile-up," wherein two or more photons may be registered as a single event during one frame time. We have conducted a large number of simulations using a statistical model of photon pile-up to assess its impacts on relativistic disk line and continuum spectra from stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars. The simulations cover the range of current X-ray CCD spectrometers and operational modes typically used to observe neutron stars and black holes in X-ray binaries. Our results suggest that severe photon pile-up acts to falsely narrow emission lines, leading to falsely large disk radii and falsely low spin values. In contrast, our simulations suggest that disk continua affected by severe pile-up are measured to have falsely low flux values, leading to falsely small radii and falsely high spin values. The results of these simulations and existing data appear to suggest that relativistic disk spectroscopy is generally robust against pile-up when this effect is modest. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society.

We are developing an ASTRO-H data analysis framework with the Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulation core, and numerical models of the on-orbit environmental radiation and full-satellite mass structure. In addition, the framework also includes a mechanism to connect and control data processing modules that are developed independently and data communication channels among them, which has been technically proven by simulations and analysis of the Suzaku HXD, many other detectors and astrophysical issues. © 2010 SPIE.

We report the detection of superhard (>10 keV) X-ray emission extending up to 70 keV from the classical nova V2491 Cygni using the Suzaku observatory. We conducted two 20 ks target-of-opportunity observations 9 and 29 days after the outburst on 2008 April 11, yielding wide energy range spectra by combining the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer and the Hard X-ray Detector. On day 9, a spectrum was obtained at 1.0-70 keV with the Fe XXV Kα line feature and a very flat continuum, which is explained by thermal plasma with a 3 keV temperature and power-law emission with a photon index of 0.1 attenuated by a heavy extinction of 1.4 × 1023 cm-2. The 15-70 keV luminosity at 10.5 kpc is 6 × 1035 erg s-1. The superhard emission was not present on day 29. This is the highest energy at which X-rays have been detected from a classical nova. We argue a nonthermal origin for the emission, which suggests the presence of accelerated charged particles in the nova explosion. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

We report on the results of a Suzaku X-ray observation of XSS J12270-4859, one of the hard X-ray sources in the INTEGRAL catalogue. This object has been classified as an intermediate polar (IP) by its optical spectra, and a putative X-ray period of ∼ 860 s. With a 30 ks exposure by Suzaku, we obtained a well-exposed spectrum in the 0.2-70 keV band. We conclude against a previous IP classification based on a lack of Fe Kα emission features in the spectrum and a failure to confirm the previously reported X-ray period. Instead, the X-ray light curve is filled with exotic phenomena, including repetitive flares lasting for ∼ 100 s, occasional dips with no apparent periodicities, spectral hardening after some flares, and bimodal changes pivoting between quiet and active phases. The rapid flux changes, the dips, and the power-law spectrum point toward an interpretation that this is a low-mass X-ray binary. Some temporal characteristics are similar to those in the Rapid Burster and GRO J1744-28, making XSS J12270-4859 a very rare object. © 2009. Astronomical Society of Japan.

We describe the highly variable X-ray and UV emission of V458 Vul (Nova Vul 2007), observed by Swift between 1 and 422 days after outburst. Initially bright only in the UV, V458 Vul became a variable hard X-ray source due to optically thin thermal emission at kT = 0.64 keV with an X-ray band unabsorbed luminosity of 2.3 × 1034 erg s-1 during days 71-140. The X-ray spectrum at this time requires a low Fe abundance (0.2 -0.1+0.3 solar), consistent with a Suzaku measurement around the same time. On day 315 we find a new X-ray spectral component which can be described by a blackbody with temperature of kT = 23-5+9 eV, while the previous hard X-ray component has declined by a factor of 3.8. The spectrum of this soft X-ray component resembles those typically seen in the class of supersoft sources (SSS) which suggests that the nova ejecta were starting to clear and/or that the white dwarf photosphere is shrinking to the point at which its thermal emission reaches into the X-ray band. We find a high degree of variability in the soft component with a flare rising by an order of magnitude in count rate in 0.2 days. In the following observations on days 342.4-383.6, the soft component was not seen, only to emerge again on day 397. The hard component continued to evolve, and we found an anticorrelation between the hard X-ray emission and the UV emission, yielding a Spearman rank probability of 97%. After day 397, the hard component was still present, was variable, and continued to fade at an extremely slow rate but could not be analyzed owing to pile-up contamination from the bright SSS component. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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.

We conducted a target of opportunity X-ray observation of the classical nova V458 Vulpeculae 88 d after the explosion using the Suzaku satellite. With a ̃ 20 ks exposure, the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer detected X-ray emission significantly harder than typical super-soft source emission. The X-ray spectrum shows Kα lines from N, Ne, Mg, Si, and S, and L-series emission from Fe in highly ionized states. The spectrum can be described by a single-temperature (̃0.64keV) thin thermal plasma model in collisional equilibrium with a hydrogen-equivalent extinction column density of ̃3 × 10 21cm-2, a flux of ̃ 10-12ergs -1cm-2, and a luminosity of ̃6 × 10 34ergs-1 in the 0.3-3.0keV band at an assumed distance of 13 kpc. We found a hint of an enhancement of N and deficiencies of O and Fe relative to other metals. The observed X-ray properties can be interpreted as the emission arising from shocks of ejecta from an ONe-type nova. © 2009 Astronomical Society of Japan.