MAXI/SSC all-sky maps from 0.7 keV to 4 keV
Abstract
By accumulating data from the Solid-state Slit Camera (SSC) on board the MAXI mission from 2009 to 2011, diffuse X-ray background maps were obtained in energies of 0.7-1.0, 1.0-2.0, and 2.0-4.0 keV. They are the first to be derived with a solid-state instrument, and to be compared with the previous ROSAT all-sky survey result. While the SSC map in the highest energy band is dominated by point sources and the Galactic diffuse X-ray emission, that in 0.7-1.0 keV reveals an extended X-ray structure, of which the brightness distribution is very similar to that observed with ROSAT about 20 years before. As in the ROSAT result, the emission is dominated by a bright arc-like structure, which appears to be part of a circle of ∼50° radius centered at about (l,b) ∼ (340°, 15°). In addition, the SSC map suggests a fainter and larger ellipse, which is elongated in the north-south direction and roughly centered at the Galactic center. The spectrum of these structures is explained as thin thermal emission from a plasma, with a temperature of ∼0.31 keV and an abundance of ∼0.3 solar. Based on SSC observation conditions including low solar activity, the solar wind charge exchange signals are estimated to be negligible in the present SSC maps, as well as in the >0.56 keV ROSAT map. A brief discussion is given on the results obtained.
- Publication:
-
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
- Pub Date:
- April 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1093/pasj/psz139
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1912.01572
- Bibcode:
- 2020PASJ...72...17N
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: bubbles;
- ISM: structure;
- X-rays: diffuse background;
- X-rays: ISM;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- Submitted to Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan on August 30 2019, Accepted by PASJ on December 02 2019