| Abstract: | The HXMT mission concept consists of a slat-collimated hard X-ray detector assembly sensitive in 20～250 keV with a collection area of about 5000 cm2. Based on the reconstruction technique by direct demodulation developed in recent years, HXMT is mainly devoted to performing a hard X-ray all-sky imaging survey with both high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. It can also be used to make pointed observations of X-ray sources to study their spectroscopic and temporal properties in details. The main detector of HXMT consists of 18 individual cylindrical NaI(T1)/CsI(Na) phoswich modules, each with anarea of 283.5 cm2 and a field of view of 5.7°× 1.1° (FWHM). Its spatial resolution and position accuracy are 5′ and 1′ by using the direct demodulation in 1994, and in 2000 its feasibility and technical demonstration study was selected as a project under the Major State Basic Research Program of China. In October 2005, this project entered the full design phase and was listed as a candidate for the first dedicated astronomy satellite around 2010. We are now also considering secondary low energy instruments for this satellite. |
