3MAXI: 7-Year X-Ray Source Catalog from MAXI/GSC

NASA's HEASARC combined the 7-year high and low galactic latitude X-ray source catalogs from the MAXI Gas Slit Camera (GSC). The combined 3MAXI catalog contains 221 low-latitude and 686 high-latitude sources detected between 2009-08-13 and 2016-07-31. It includes source positions, fluxes, hardness ratios, variability metrics, and likely counterparts from cross-matching with other major X-ray catalogs.

Use Cases

• Classifying X-ray source types based on hardness ratios and flux bands described in the catalog.
• Analyzing source variability over time based on the reported excess variance in the 4-10 keV lightcurve.
• Cross-referencing and validating X-ray source detections using the counterpart information from multiple established catalogs.
• Studying the distribution and properties of sources in different galactic latitude regions (|b| > 10° and |b| < 10°).

Strengths

• Combines two published catalogs covering 7 years of observations from 2009 to 2016.
• Reports fluxes, hardness ratios, and variability parameters for 907 total sources.
• Sources were cross-matched with six other authoritative X-ray catalogs for counterpart identification.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), HEASARC

Collection Method

Combination of published catalogs from Hori et al. 2018 (ApJS 235,7) and Kawamuro et al. 2018 (ApJS 238,33) based on MAXI/GSC data.

Time Range

2009-08 13 to 2016-07-31

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:52:38.998784; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Full sky, with separate catalogs for low (|b| < 10°) and high (|b| > 10°) galactic latitudes.