The MAXI Mission on the ISS: Science and Instruments for Monitoring All-Sky X-Ray Images
2009/06/03 by Masaru Matsuoka, Kazuyoshi Kawasaki, Shiro Ueno +29 · 839 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Confusion #Detector #Energy (signal processing) #Field of view #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Orbit (dynamics) #Particle Detector Development and Performance #Payload (computing) #Range (aeronautics) #Sky #astro-ph.HE #astro-ph.IM
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/pasj/61.5.999
published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan 61(5), 999-1010 (Oxford University Press) · 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
arxiv created 2009/06/03 · openalex publication_date 2009/10/25 · arxiv updated 2015/05/13 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Abstract
Abstract The Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) mission is the first astronomical payload to be installed on the Japanese Experiment Module — Exposed Facility (JEM-EF or Kibo-EF) on the International Space Station. It has two types of X-ray slit cameras with wide FOVs and two kinds of X-ray detectors consisting of gas proportional counters covering the energy range of 2 to 30 keV and X-ray CCDs covering the energy range of 0.5 to 12 keV. MAXI will be more powerful than any previous X-ray All Sky Monitor payloads, being able to monitor hundreds of Active Galactic Nuclei. A realistic simulation under optimal observation conditions suggests that MAXI will provide all-sky images of X-ray sources of ∼ 20 mCrab (∼ 7 × 10-10 erg cm-2 s-1 in the energy band of 2–30 keV) from observations during one ISS orbit (90 min), ∼ 4.5 mCrab for one day, and ∼ 2 mCrab for one week. The final detectability of MAXI could be ∼ 0.2 mCrab for two years, which is comparable to the source confusion limit of the MAXI field of view (FOV). The MAXI objectives are: (1) to alert the community to X-ray novae and transient X-ray sources, (2) to monitor long-term variabilities of X-ray sources, (3) to stimulate multi-wavelength observations of variable objects, (4) to create unbiased X-ray source cataloges, and (5) to observe diffuse cosmic X-ray emissions, especially with better energy resolution for soft X-rays down to 0.5 keV.
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- Cygnus X-3: A variable petaelectronvolt gamma-ray source
- The Luminosity Phase Space of Galactic and Extragalactic X-Ray Transients Out to Intermediate Redshifts
- Constraining the Jet Energetics of the Transient X-ray Binaries MAXI J1348-630 and MAXI J1820+070 through Calorimetry
- Wide-Field X-ray Polarimetry for High Energy Astronomical Transients: First results of the pathfinder CXPD Cubesat Mission
- Unveiling the Nature of Superorbital Modulation of SMC X-1 using NinjaSat
- The strong Fe K line and spin of the black-hole X-ray binary MAXI J1631-479
- Eclipsing Stellar Flare on the Demon Star Algol Binary System Observed during the MAXI-NICER Follow-up Campaign in 2018
- Comprehensive X-ray Spectral-timing Analysis of GRS 1915+105 Based on Insight-HXMT Observations
- Comprehensive X-ray Observations of the Exceptional Ultra-long X-ray and Gamma-ray Transient GRB 250702B with Swift, NuSTAR, and Chandra: Insights from the X-ray Afterglow Properties
- Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger
- Return of the Clocked Burster: Exceptionally Short Recurrence Time in GS 1826-238
- Linear Polarization in a Black Hole, 4U~1957+115 and its X-ray Spectral Analysis
- A Hidden Pulse: Uncovering a New Timing Signal in Cygnus X-1 with AstroSat
- EP250108a/SN 2025kg: A Jet-Driven Stellar Explosion Interacting With Circumstellar Material
- Quasi-periodic variation during a fast X-ray outburst of a high-mass X-ray binary MAXI J0709-159 / LY CMa observed by NICER
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- Spectral evolution of GX 17+2 using AstroSat and NICER observations
- Probing the Strong Gravity Region of Black Holes with eXTP
- An Ejection Event Captured by VLBI During the Outburst of Swift J1727.8-1613
- Investigating MAXI J1752-457 with NuSTAR in the aftermath of a superburst
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- X-RAY STATES OF REDBACK MILLISECOND PULSARS
- In-Orbit Performance of the MAXI/SSC onboard the ISS
- The surprising Crab pulsar and its nebula: a review
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- SWIFTOBSERVATIONS OF MAXI J1659–152: A COMPACT BINARY WITH A BLACK HOLE ACCRETOR
- Long-term study of Mkn 421 with the HAGAR Array of Telescopes
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- Peculiarly Narrow SED of GRB 090926B with MAXI and Fermi/GBM
- Orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy of 4U 1538−52 with MAXI
- MAXI observations of gamma-ray bursts
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- Lens Flare: Magnified X-Ray Binaries as Passive Beacons in SETI
- Alternative Explanations for Extreme Supersolar Iron Abundances Inferred from the Energy Spectrum of Cygnus X-1
- Fast infrared variability from the black hole candidate MAXI J1535−571 and tight constraints on the modelling
- Light-curve fingerprints: an automated approach to the extraction of X-ray variability patterns with feature aggregation – an example application to GRS 1915+105
- Observations of a radio-bright, X-ray obscured GRS 1915+105
- Dynamical confirmation of a stellar mass black hole in the transient X-ray dipping binary MAXI J1305-704
- Optical nebular emission following the most luminous outburst of Aquila X-1
- Multi-wavelength view of the galactic black-hole binary GRS 1716–249
- 2FGL J0846.0+2820: A New Neutron Star Binary with a Giant Secondary and Variable γ-Ray Emission
- Swift J011511.0-725611: discovery of a rare Be star/white dwarf binary system in the SMC
- Thermonuclear superburst of MAXI J1752-457 observed with NinjaSat and MAXI
- THE RETURN OF THE BURSTS: THERMONUCLEAR FLASHES FROM CIRCINUS X-1
- Radio emission from the X-ray pulsar Her X-1: a jet launched by a strong magnetic field neutron star?
- The Evolution of the Orbital Light-curve of Hercules X-1 with 35-day Phase
- Rapid X-ray variability properties during the unusual very hard state in neutron-star low-mass X-ray binaries
- Repeated short-term spectral softening in the low/hard state of the Galactic black hole candidate Swift J1753.5−0127
- The RS CVn–type Star GT Mus Shows Most Energetic X-Ray Flares Throughout the 2010s
- GALACTIC ULTRACOMPACT X-RAY BINARIES: EMPIRICAL LUMINOSITIES
- Accretion flow properties of GRS 1716-249 during its 2016–17 ‘failed’ outburst
- Bright X-Ray Flares from the BL Lac Object Markarian 421, Detected with MAXI in 2010 January and February
- Discovery of Redshifted He-like Iron Absorption Line from Luminous Accreting Neutron Star SMC X-1
- The return to quiescence of Aql X-1 following the 2010 outburst
- Insight-HXMT observations of jet-like corona in a black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070
- Hard-tail emission in the soft state of low-mass X-ray binaries and their relation to the neutron star magnetic field
- High-density reflection spectroscopy: I. A case study of GX 339-4
- The chaotic long-term X-ray variability of 4U 1705–44
- A soft X-ray lag detected in Centaurus A
- Morphology of the Light Curves for the X-ray Novae H 1743-322 and GX 339-4 during Their Outbursts in 2005–2019
- ChandraX-ray spectroscopy of focused wind in the Cygnus X-1 system
- Multiplexing lobster-eye optics: a concept for wide-field x-ray monitoring
- A major optical and X-ray outburst from the Magellanic Bridge source RX J0209.6–7427
- Wind accretion in Cygnus X-1
- Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory studies of supersoft novae
- Populations of highly variable X-ray sources in theXMM–Newtonslew survey
- The flux distribution of individual blazars as a key to understand the dynamics of particle acceleration
- SUPPLEMENT: “LOCALIZATION AND BROADBAND FOLLOW-UP OF THE GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE TRANSIENT GW150914” (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)
- Swift observations of the bright uncatalogued X-ray transient MAXI J1535-571
- Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
- CLASSIFYING X-RAY BINARIES: A PROBABILISTIC APPROACH
- Insight-HXMT observations of jet-like corona in a black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070. [europepmc]
- Localized mesospheric ozone destruction corresponding to isolated proton aurora coming from Earth's radiation belt. [europepmc]
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