In-Orbit Calibration and Data Analysis of China＇s First Grazing Incidence Focusing X-Ray Pulsar Telescope

The grazing incidence focusing X-ray pulsar telescope(iFXPT), as the main payload of the X-ray Pulsar Navigation Test Satellite(XPNAV-1), will have great significance on China's space scientific exploration and X-ray pulsar navigation. With PSR B0531+21(Crab Pulsar) as the observation target, the pulsar profile has been recovered based on the data obtained by iFXPT, realizing the main objective of "observing" PSR B0531+21 for the first time in China. This payload mainly consists of the Wolter-I X-ray optics, silicon drift detector, magnetic deflector, electronics, high-energy particle shield and high-stability structures. Currently, the iFXPT, with its good in-orbit performance, has obtained a considerable observation data. The effective area, sensitivity and energy response have been calibrated both on ground and in-orbit, demonstrating a high degree of consistency. Meanwhile, the in-orbit observation data and information for pulsar navigation has also been analyzed simultaneously. As a result, the feasibility of the exploration scheme and the performance of the telescope have been fully validated.

XPNAV-1卫星聚焦型X射线脉冲星望远镜在轨稳定性分析

聚焦型X射线脉冲星望远镜(FXPT)是脉冲星导航试验(XPNAV-1)卫星的核心载荷,为中国首款在轨工作的聚焦型X射线望远镜,其在轨稳定性一直备受关注。首先,分析了XPNAV-1卫星对具有特征能谱辐射的超新星遗迹观测数据评估FXPT在轨性能的稳定性的可行性,发现拟合得到的FXPT能量响应参数存在较大误差,且缺乏长期超新星遗迹观测数据,难以支持望远镜在轨性能长期稳定性分析。其次,通过处理分析XPNAV-1卫星于2016年11月―2019年11月间1455次4.1×10^(6)s Crab脉冲星观测数据,发现FXPT在9.5 keV附近长期较稳定地存在大量的X射线光子,且其能量分布曲线近似高斯分布,排除了其来自脉冲星辐射可能性后,推断其来自于FXPT的超上阈信号,同时发现在7.5 keV能量处存在特征谱线辐射,判断其来自于望远镜镜片材料Ni的受激辐射Kα射线。继而提出了一种利用望远镜本征特征能谱和超上阈信号共同监测其在轨稳定性的方法,通过分析近4年XPNAV-1卫星对Crab脉冲星的观测能谱,发现FXPT于2017年10月后性能趋于稳定,该方法有效弥补XPNAV-1卫星无携带辐射标定装置的缺点。同时恢复出Crab脉冲星累积脉冲轮廓,且轮廓形状与RXTE卫星观测结果的相似度为98.6%,FXPT能够精准地获取Crab脉冲星的脉冲轮廓。