Background: A variable resolution X-ray (VRX) CT scanner provides a great increase in the spatial resolution. In VRX CT scanners, the spatial resolution of the system and its field of view (FOV) can be changed according to the object size. One of the main factors that limit the spatial resolution of VRX CT scanner is the effect of the X-ray focal spot. Materials and Methods: A theoreti...

The MicroStrip Gaseous Chamber (MSGC) was proposed in 1988 [1] as a new type of proportional gaseous detector providing an excellent position resolution. A very fine pitch (<200μm) of signal lines, which could be realized by printing several hundred of strips on a substrate using the Multi-Chip Module technology [2, 3],makes possible to satisfy almost all requirements for X-ray position detecto...

This case describes the development of microcalorimeter detector arrays for applications in Xray astronomy. The key insight, which initiated the multi-decade (X-ray) microcalorimeter innovation pathway, is generally attributed to a particular Goddard (infrared) astrophysicist; however multiple institutions and individuals have played key roles over the last 30 years. The development of microcal...

Coordinated observations X-ray+optical observations of two southern X-ray binaries, the black hole candidate SLX 1746-331 and the neutron star accreter Cir X-1 (a 'microquasar') are reported. With a photon counting optical pho-tometer on the 1.9m telescope at Sutherland, South Africa and the PCA detector on RXTE, 4h each of simultaneous data were obtained on SLX 1746 and Cir X-1. Cir X-1 showed...