2024PASJ...76..272M

We develop a new deconvolution method to recover the precise Crab Nebula image taken by the Hitomi HXT, suppressing the artifact due to the bright Crab pulsar. We extend the Richardson-Lucy method, introducing two components corresponding to the nebula and pulsar with regularization for smoothness and flux, respectively, and performing simultaneous deconvolution of multi-pulse-phase images. The structures, including the torus and jets, seen in the deconvolved nebula image at the lowest energy band of 3.6-15 keV appear consistent with those identified in the high-resolution Chandra X-ray image. Above 15 keV, we confirm NuSTAR's findings that the nebula size decreases in higher energy bands. We find that the north-east side of the nebula is fainter in higher energy bands. Our deconvolution method is applicable for any telescope images of faint diffuse objects containing a bright point source.