MAXI (monitor of all-sky X-ray image) for JEM on the international space station

Abstract

MAXI has been approved as one of the first payloads on JEM-EF (Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility) on the International Space Station. It will be developed in collaboration with NASDA (NAtional Space Development Agency of Japan) to be launched in 2003. The objective of MAXI is to monitor X-ray sources over the whole sky with unprecedented sensitivity (less than 3 mCrab in 1 day). Two instruments are planned. The GSC (Gas Slit Cameras) are 1-dim position sensitive proportional counters. The SSC (Solid-state Slit Cameras) contain X-ray CCDs. The GSC covers 2–30 keV with a large window size (more than 5000cm 2) and a low background rate. The SSC has a smaller window (∼ 200cm 2), but has a higher energy resolution ( EΔ E∼ 50) and a sensitivity in the lower energies (0.5–10 keV). MAXI will be the first spectroscopic all-sky monitor. Objects to be observed are X-ray transients, AGNs, γ-ray burst afterglows, CXB and so on.