Calibration of Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM) onboard AstroSat

Abstract

SSM onboard AstroSat is designed to monitor X-ray sky in the energy range 2.5–10 keV to detect and locate X-ray sources in outburst. SSM with its three almost identical 1D-proportional counters mounted on a rotating platform, scans the sky in step and stare mode of operation. It observes the X-ray sky and generates light curves for X-ray sources detected. Here, we discuss the positional calibration to carry out imaging with SSM. Onboard calibration of SSM has been carried out with Crab, the standard X-ray source. SSM observations of Crab are compared with that of MAXI on ISS for cross calibration of the instrument.