Summary
This paper documents the Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) instrument aboard the Hitomi X-ray observatory, launched in February 2016. The HXI comprises dual imagers using Si and CdTe semiconductor detectors coupled to hard X-ray telescopes with 12 m focal length, delivering imaging spectroscopy in the 5–80 keV band. Early commissioning observations of G21.5–0.9 and the Crab nebula confirmed energy coverage and detection efficiency; background characterisation from blank-sky exposures revealed low in-orbit background levels comparable to NuSTAR, with preliminary analysis indicating similar statistical sensitivity for point sources.
UK applicability
Not applicable. This is an astrophysical instrumentation paper describing a space-based X-ray observatory and has no direct relevance to UK agricultural, soil health, or food system research.
Key measures
Detection efficiency across 5–80 keV energy range; background count rates (1–3 × 10⁻⁴ counts s⁻¹ keV⁻¹ cm⁻²); point-source statistical sensitivity; angular resolution (2′ half-power diameter); activation-induced line and continuum emission above 30 keV
Outcomes reported
This paper describes the design, deployment, and early operational performance of the Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) instrument aboard the Hitomi X-ray observatory, which achieved 5–80 keV imaging spectroscopy before the satellite's loss on 26 March 2016. The study reports detector functionality, background characterisation, and comparative sensitivity metrics relative to the NuSTAR instrument.
Topic tags
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