Application of a multiscale maximum entropy image restoration algorithm to HXMT observations

This paper introduces a multiscale maximum entropy (MSME) algorithm for image restorationof the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), which is a collimated scan X-ray satellite mainly devoted to a sensitive all- skysurvey and pointed observations in the 1–250 keV range. The novelty of the MSME method is to use wavelet decomposition and multiresolution support to control noise amplification at different scales. Our work is focused on the application and modification of this method to restore diffuse sources detected by HXMT scanning observations. An improved method, the ensemble multiscale maximum entropy (EMSME) algorithm, is proposed to alleviate the problem of mode mixing exiting in MSME. Simulations have been performed on the detection of the diffuse source Cen A by HXMT in all- skysurvey mode. The results show that the MSME method is adapted to the deconvolution task of HXMT for diffuse source detection and the improved method could suppress noise and improve the correlation and signal-to-noise ratio, thus proving itself a better algorithm for image restoration. Through one all- skysurvey, HXMT could reach a capacity of detecting a diffuse source with maximum differential flux of 0.5 mCrab.