arXiv subjects

Takashi Okajima

Publications and source records attributed to Takashi Okajima.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

XRISM forecast for the Coma cluster: stormy, with a steep power spectrum

The XRISM Resolve microcalorimeter array measured the velocities of hot intracluster gas at two positions in the Coma galaxy cluster: 3'x3' squares at the center and at 6' (170 kpc) to the south. We find the line-of-sight velocity dispersions in those regions to be sigma_z=208+-12 km/s and 202+-24 km/s, respectively. The central value corresponds to a 3D Mach number of M=0.24+-0.015 and the ratio of the kinetic pressure of small-scale motions to thermal pressure in the intracluster plasma of only 3.1+-0.4%, at the lower end of predictions from cosmological simulations for merging clusters like Coma, and similar to that observed in the cool core of the relaxed cluster A2029. Meanwhile, the gas in both regions exhibits high line-of-sight velocity differences from the mean velocity of the cluster galaxies, Delta v_z=450+-15 km/s and 730+-30 km/s, respectively. A small contribution from an additional gas velocity component, consistent with the cluster optical mean, is detected along a sightline near the cluster center. The combination of the observed velocity dispersions and bulk velocities is not described by a Kolmogorov velocity power spectrum of steady-state turbulence; instead, the data imply a much steeper effective slope (i.e., relatively more power at larger linear scales). This may indicate either a very large dissipation scale resulting in the suppression of small-scale motions, or a transient dynamic state of the cluster, where large-scale gas flows generated by an ongoing merger have not yet cascaded down to small scales.

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arXiv2025

In-orbit Performance of the Soft X-ray Imaging Telescope Xtend aboard XRISM

We present a summary of the in-orbit performance of the soft X-ray imaging telescope Xtend onboard the XRISM mission, based on in-flight observation data, including first-light celestial objects, calibration sources, and results from the cross-calibration campaign with other currently-operating X-ray observatories. XRISM/Xtend has a large field of view of $38.5'\times38.5'$, covering an energy range of 0.4--13 keV, as demonstrated by the first-light observation of the galaxy cluster Abell 2319. It also features an energy resolution of 170--180 eV at 6 keV, which meets the mission requirement and enables to resolve He-like and H-like Fe K$α$ lines. Throughout the observation during the performance verification phase, we confirm that two issues identified in SXI onboard the previous Hitomi mission -- light leakage and crosstalk events -- are addressed and suppressed in the case of Xtend. A joint cross-calibration observation of the bright quasar 3C273 results in an effective area measured to be $\sim420$ cm$^{2}$@1.5 keV and $\sim310$ cm$^{2}$@6.0 keV, which matches values obtained in ground tests. We also continuously monitor the health of Xtend by analyzing overclocking data, calibration source spectra, and day-Earth observations: the readout noise is stable and low, and contamination is negligible even one year after launch. A low background level compared to other major X-ray instruments onboard satellites, combined with the largest grasp ($Ω_{\rm eff}\sim60$ ${\rm cm^2~degree^2}$) of Xtend, will not only support Resolve analysis, but also enable significant scientific results on its own. This includes near future follow-up observations and transient searches in the context of time-domain and multi-messenger astrophysics.

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arXiv2025

Initial operations of the Soft X-ray Imager onboard XRISM

XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) is an astronomical satellite with the capability of high-resolution spectroscopy with the X-ray microcalorimeter, Resolve, and wide field-of-view imaging with the CCD camera, Xtend. Xtend consists of the mirror assembly (XMA: X-ray Mirror Assembly) and detector (SXI: Soft X-ray Imager). The SXI is composed of CCDs, analog and digital electronics, and a mechanical cooler. After the successful launch on September 6th, 2023 (UT) and subsequent critical operations, the mission instruments were turned on and set up. The CCDs have been kept at the designed operating temperature of $-110^\circ$C after the electronics and cooling system were successfully set up. During the initial operation phase, which continued for more than a month after the critical operations, we verified the observation procedure, stability of the cooling system, all the observation options with different imaging areas and/or timing resolutions, and time-tagged and automated operations including those for South Atlantic Anomaly passages. We optimized the operation procedure and observation parameters including the cooler settings, imaging areas for the small window modes, and event selection algorithm. We summarize our policy and procedure of the initial operations for the SXI. We also report on a couple of issues we faced during the initial operations and lessons learned from them.

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arXiv2024

STROBE-X Mission Overview

We give an overview of the science objectives and mission design of the Spectroscopic Time-Resolving Observatory for Broadband Energy X-rays (STROBE-X) observatory, which has been proposed as a NASA probe-class (~$1.5B) mission in response to the Astro2020 recommendation for an X-ray probe.

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arXiv2024

The STROBE-X Low Energy Modular Array (LEMA) Instrument

The Low Energy Modular Array (LEMA) is one of three instruments that compose the STROBE-X mission concept. The LEMA is a large effective-area, high throughput, non-imaging pointed instrument based on the X-ray Timing Instrument of the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission. The LEMA is designed for spectral-timing measurements of a variety of celestial X-ray sources, providing a transformative increase in sensitivity to photons in the 0.2-12 keV energy range compared to past missions, with an effective area (at 1.5 keV) of 16,000 cm$^2$ and an energy resolution of 85 eV at 1 keV.

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arXiv2024

Status of Xtend telescope onboard X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM)

Xtend is one of the two telescopes onboard the X-ray imaging and spectroscopy mission (XRISM), which was launched on September 7th, 2023. Xtend comprises the Soft X-ray Imager (SXI), an X-ray CCD camera, and the X-ray Mirror Assembly (XMA), a thin-foil-nested conically approximated Wolter-I optics. A large field of view of $38^{\prime}\times38^{\prime}$ over the energy range from 0.4 to 13 keV is realized by the combination of the SXI and XMA with a focal length of 5.6 m. The SXI employs four P-channel, back-illuminated type CCDs with a thick depletion layer of 200 $μ$m. The four CCD chips are arranged in a 2$\times$2 grid and cooled down to $-110$ $^{\circ}$C with a single-stage Stirling cooler. Before the launch of XRISM, we conducted a month-long spacecraft thermal vacuum test. The performance verification of the SXI was successfully carried out in a course of multiple thermal cycles of the spacecraft. About a month after the launch of XRISM, the SXI was carefully activated and the soundness of its functionality was checked by a step-by-step process. Commissioning observations followed the initial operation. We here present pre- and post-launch results verifying the Xtend performance. All the in-orbit performances are consistent with those measured on ground and satisfy the mission requirement. Extensive calibration studies are ongoing.

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arXiv2023

Overview of the Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS)

The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) is a Probe-class concept that will build on the legacy of the Chandra X-ray Observatory by providing low-background, arcsecond-resolution imaging in the 0.3-10 keV band across a 450 arcminute$^2$ field of view, with an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity. AXIS utilizes breakthroughs in the construction of lightweight segmented X-ray optics using single-crystal silicon, and developments in the fabrication of large-format, small-pixel, high readout rate CCD detectors with good spectral resolution, allowing a robust and cost-effective design. Further, AXIS will be responsive to target-of-opportunity alerts and, with onboard transient detection, will be a powerful facility for studying the time-varying X-ray universe, following on from the legacy of the Neil Gehrels (Swift) X-ray observatory that revolutionized studies of the transient X-ray Universe. In this paper, we present an overview of AXIS, highlighting the prime science objectives driving the AXIS concept and how the observatory design will achieve these objectives.

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arXiv2023

Xtend, the Soft X-ray Imaging Telescope for the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM)

Xtend is a soft X-ray imaging telescope developed for the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). XRISM is scheduled to be launched in the Japanese fiscal year 2022. Xtend consists of the Soft X-ray Imager (SXI), an X-ray CCD camera, and the X-ray Mirror Assembly (XMA), a thin-foil-nested conically approximated Wolter-I optics. The SXI uses the P-channel, back-illuminated type CCD with an imaging area size of 31 mm on a side. The four CCD chips are arranged in a 2$\times$2 grid and can be cooled down to $-120$ $^{\circ}$C with a single-stage Stirling cooler. The XMA nests thin aluminum foils coated with gold in a confocal way with an outer diameter of 45~cm. A pre-collimator is installed in front of the X-ray mirror for the reduction of the stray light. Combining the SXI and XMA with a focal length of 5.6m, a field of view of $38^{\prime}\times38^{\prime}$ over the energy range from 0.4 to 13 keV is realized. We have completed the fabrication of the flight model of both SXI and XMA. The performance verification has been successfully conducted in a series of sub-system level tests. We also carried out on-ground calibration measurements and the data analysis is ongoing.

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arXiv2023

A broadband X-ray imaging spectroscopy in the 2030s: the FORCE mission

In this multi-messenger astronomy era, all the observational probes are improving their sensitivities and overall performance. The Focusing on Relativistic universe and Cosmic Evolution (FORCE) mission, the product of a JAXA/NASA collaboration, will reach a 10 times higher sensitivity in the hard X-ray band ($E >$ 10~keV) in comparison with any previous hard X-ray missions, and provide simultaneous soft X-ray coverage. FORCE aims to be launched in the early 2030s, providing a perfect hard X-ray complement to the ESA flagship mission Athena. FORCE will be the most powerful X-ray probe for discovering obscured/hidden black holes and studying high energy particle acceleration in our Universe and will address how relativistic processes in the universe are realized and how these affect cosmic evolution. FORCE, which will operate over 1--79 keV, is equipped with two identical pairs of supermirrors and wideband X-ray imagers. The mirror and imager are connected by a high mechanical stiffness extensible optical bench with alignment monitor systems with a focal length of 12~m. A light-weight silicon mirror with multi-layer coating realizes a high angular resolution of $<15''$ in half-power diameter in the broad bandpass. The imager is a hybrid of a brand-new SOI-CMOS silicon-pixel detector and a CdTe detector responsible for the softer and harder energy bands, respectively. FORCE will play an essential role in the multi-messenger astronomy in the 2030s with its broadband X-ray sensitivity.

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arXiv2023

ASCENT - A balloon-borne hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy telescope using transition edge sensor microcalorimeter detectors

Core collapse supernovae are thought to be one of the main sources in the galaxy of elements heavier than iron. Understanding the origin of the elements is thus tightly linked to our understanding of the explosion mechanism of supernovae and supernova nucleosynthesis. X-ray and gamma-ray observations of young supernova remnants, combined with improved theoretical modeling, have resulted in enormous improvements in our knowledge of these events. The isotope ${}^{44}$Ti is one of the most sensitive probes of the innermost regions of the core collapse engine, and its spatial and velocity distribution are key observables. Hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) has provided new insights into the structure of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), establishing the convective nature of the supernova engine. However, many questions about the details of this engine remain. We present here the concept for a balloon-borne follow-up mission called ASCENT (A SuperConducting ENergetic x-ray Telescope). ASCENT uses transition edge sensor gamma-ray microcalorimeter detectors with a demonstrated 55 eV Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) energy resolution at 97 keV. This 8--16-fold improvement in energy resolution over NuSTAR will allow high resolution imaging and spectroscopy of the ${}^{44}$Ti emission. This will allow a detailed reconstruction of gamma-ray line redshifts, widths, and shapes, allowing us to address questions such as: What is the source of the neutron star "kicks"? What is the dominant production pathway for ${}^{44}$Ti? Is the engine of Cas A unique?

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arXiv2022

First Flight Performance of the Micro-X Microcalorimeter X-Ray Sounding Rocket

The flight of the Micro-X sounding rocket on July 22, 2018 marked the first operation of Transition-Edge Sensors and their SQUID readouts in space. The instrument combines the microcalorimeter array with an imaging mirror to take high-resolution spectra from extended X-ray sources. The first flight target was the Cassiopeia~A Supernova Remnant. While a rocket pointing malfunction led to no time on-target, data from the flight was used to evaluate the performance of the instrument and demonstrate the flight viability of the payload. The instrument successfully achieved a stable cryogenic environment, executed all flight operations, and observed X-rays from the on-board calibration source. The flight environment did not significantly affect the performance of the detectors compared to ground operation. The flight provided an invaluable test of the impact of external magnetic fields and the instrument configuration on detector performance. This flight provides a milestone in the flight readiness of these detector and readout technologies, both of which have been selected for future X-ray observatories.

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arXiv2022

Performance of the X-Calibur Hard X-Ray Polarimetry Mission during its 2018/19 Long-Duration Balloon Flight

X-Calibur is a balloon-borne telescope that measures the polarization of high-energy X-rays in the 15--50keV energy range. The instrument makes use of the fact that X-rays scatter preferentially perpendicular to the polarization direction. A beryllium scattering element surrounded by pixellated CZT detectors is located at the focal point of the InFOCμS hard X-ray mirror. The instrument was launched for a long-duration balloon (LDB) flight from McMurdo (Antarctica) on December 29, 2018, and obtained the first constraints of the hard X-ray polarization of an accretion-powered pulsar. Here, we describe the characterization and calibration of the instrument on the ground and its performance during the flight, as well as simulations of particle backgrounds and a comparison to measured rates. The pointing system and polarimeter achieved the excellent projected performance. The energy detection threshold for the anticoincidence system was found to be higher than expected and it exhibited unanticipated dead time. Both issues will be remedied for future flights. Overall, the mission performance was nominal, and results will inform the design of the follow-up mission XL-Calibur, which is scheduled to be launched in summer 2022.

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arXiv2022

Discovery and Long-term Broadband X-ray monitoring of Galactic Black Hole Candidate MAXI J1803-298

We report the results from the broad-band X-ray monitoring of the new Galactic black hole candidate MAXI J1803$-$298 with the MAXI/GSC and Swift/BAT during its outburst. After the discovery on 2021 May 1, the soft X-ray flux below 10 keV rapidly increased for $\sim 10$ days and then have been gradually decreasing over 5 months. At the brightest phase, the source exhibited the state transition from the low/hard state to the high/soft state via the intermediate state. The broad-band X-ray spectrum during the outburst was well described with a disk blackbody plus its thermal or non-thermal Comptonization. Before the transition the source spectrum was described by a thermal Comptonization component with a photon index of $\sim 1.7$ and an electron temperature of $\sim 30$ keV, whereas a strong disk blackbody component was observed after the transition. The spectral properties in these periods are consistent with the low/hard state and the high/soft state, respectively. A sudden flux drop with a few days duration, unassociated with a significant change in the hardness ratio, was found in the intermediate state. A possible cause of this variation is that the mass accretion rate rapidly increased at the disk transition, which induced a strong Compton-thick outflow and scattered out the X-ray flux. Assuming a non-spinning black hole, we estimated a black hole mass of MAXI J1803$-$298 as $5.8 \pm 0.4~(\cos i/\cos 70^\circ)^{-1/2} (D/8~\mathrm{kpc})~M_\odot$ (where $i$ and $D$ are the inclination angle and the distance) from the inner disk radius obtained in the high/soft state.

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arXiv2021

A NICER View of the Massive Pulsar PSR J0740+6620 Informed by Radio Timing and XMM-Newton Spectroscopy

We report on Bayesian estimation of the radius, mass, and hot surface regions of the massive millisecond pulsar PSR J0740$+$6620, conditional on pulse-profile modeling of Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer X-ray Timing Instrument (NICER XTI) event data. We condition on informative pulsar mass, distance, and orbital inclination priors derived from the joint NANOGrav and CHIME/Pulsar wideband radio timing measurements of arXiv:2104.00880. We use XMM European Photon Imaging Camera spectroscopic event data to inform our X-ray likelihood function. The prior support of the pulsar radius is truncated at 16 km to ensure coverage of current dense matter models. We assume conservative priors on instrument calibration uncertainty. We constrain the equatorial radius and mass of PSR J0740$+$6620 to be $12.39_{-0.98}^{+1.30}$ km and $2.072_{-0.066}^{+0.067}$ M$_{\odot}$ respectively, each reported as the posterior credible interval bounded by the 16% and 84% quantiles, conditional on surface hot regions that are non-overlapping spherical caps of fully-ionized hydrogen atmosphere with uniform effective temperature; a posteriori, the temperature is $\log_{10}(T$ [K]$)=5.99_{-0.06}^{+0.05}$ for each hot region. All software for the X-ray modeling framework is open-source and all data, model, and sample information is publicly available, including analysis notebooks and model modules in the Python language. Our marginal likelihood function of mass and equatorial radius is proportional to the marginal joint posterior density of those parameters (within the prior support) and can thus be computed from the posterior samples.

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arXiv2021

Enhanced X-ray Emission Coinciding with Giant Radio Pulses from the Crab Pulsar

Giant radio pulses (GRPs) are sporadic bursts emitted by some pulsars, lasting a few microseconds. GRPs are hundreds to thousands of times brighter than regular pulses from these sources. The only GRP-associated emission outside radio wavelengths is from the Crab Pulsar, where optical emission is enhanced by a few percent during GRPs. We observed the Crab Pulsar simultaneously at X-ray and radio wavelengths, finding enhancement of the X-ray emission by $3.8\pm0.7\%$ (a 5.4$σ$ detection) coinciding with GRPs. This implies that the total emitted energy from GRPs is tens to hundreds of times higher than previously known. We discuss the implications for the pulsar emission mechanism and extragalactic fast radio bursts.

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arXiv2019

Constraining the Neutron Star Mass-Radius Relation and Dense Matter Equation of State with NICER. I. The Millisecond Pulsar X-ray Data Set

We present the set of deep Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray timing observations of the nearby rotation-powered millisecond pulsars PSRs J0437-4715, J0030+0451, J1231-1411, and J2124-3358, selected as targets for constraining the mass-radius relation of neutron stars and the dense matter equation of state via modeling of their pulsed thermal X-ray emission. We describe the instrument, observations, and data processing/reduction procedures, as well as the series of investigations conducted to ensure that the properties of the data sets are suitable for parameter estimation analyses to produce reliable constraints on the neutron star mass-radius relation and the dense matter equation of state. We find that the long-term timing and flux behavior and the Fourier-domain properties of the event data do not exhibit any anomalies that could adversely affect the intended measurements. From phase-selected spectroscopy, we find that emission from the individual pulse peaks is well described by a single-temperature hydrogen atmosphere spectrum, with the exception of PSR J0437-4715, for which multiple temperatures are required.

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arXiv2019

Cal X-1: an absolute in-orbit calibrator for current and future X-ray observatories

We describe Cal X-1, a SmallSat mission concept to establish X-ray standard candles in the sky, which will enable absolute calibration of the current and future X-ray observatories. It consists of two CubeSats flying in formation, one containing an absolutely calibrated X-ray source and another, 1-2 km away, a simple X-ray telescope.

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arXiv2019

The X-ray Polarization Probe mission concept

The X-ray Polarization Probe (XPP) is a second generation X-ray polarimeter following up on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The XPP will offer true broadband polarimetery over the wide 0.2-60 keV bandpass in addition to imaging polarimetry from 2-8 keV. The extended energy bandpass and improvements in sensitivity will enable the simultaneous measurement of the polarization of several emission components. These measurements will give qualitatively new information about how compact objects work, and will probe fundamental physics, i.e. strong-field quantum electrodynamics and strong gravity.

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