Astrophysics

RXTE

2,582 tracked publications and 121,071 citations from 1996–2026. Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Launched 1995. Life-cycle cost: $490M in 2025 dollars. Active Mission Window February 1, 1996 to February 1, 2014: 2,011 publications, 97 top-10% credit.

Survey Observatory · h-index 145 · 288 papers with 100+ citations · prime mission ended 1998

Lifetime

Scope Papers published from the first full month after science operations begin through 2 years after the mission ends. Citations are counted through the third calendar year after each paper appears. Methods Papers published from the first full month after science operations begin through 2 years after the prime mission ends. Citations are counted through the third calendar year after each paper appears. Methods Every tracked publication to date, with every citation to date. Methods

Key measures

Active Mission Window · papers February 1, 1996 to February 1, 2014
Tracked publicationsTracked publications: peer-reviewed research papers we found for the mission. The list may not be complete. Methods2,011
CitationsCitations received by the tracked publications in the selected scope. The two windowed scopes count each paper’s citations only within its citation window. Methods30,401
Mean citations per publicationMean citations: total citations divided by tracked publications in the selected scope. One blockbuster paper can lift it. Methods15
Median citations per publicationMedian citations: the middle paper’s citation count in the selected scope; half the papers have more, half fewer. A single blockbuster sways it less than the mean. Methods10
Uncited publicationsUncited publications: papers with no citations in the selected scope. Methods140 (7.0%)
Top-10% creditTop 10%: among the 10% most-cited papers from this division’s missions, ranked against papers published around the same time. A paper naming several missions is split evenly among the missions in this division that claim it, so counts can be fractional. Methods97 · 1.9% of division
Top-1% creditTop 1%: among the 1% most-cited papers from this division’s missions within the selected window. Not adjusted for publication year. A paper naming several missions is split evenly among the missions in this division that claim it, so counts can be fractional. Methods3.1 · 0.63% of division
Lifetime indices · every tracked publication to date, in any scope
h-indexh-index: the largest h such that h papers have at least h citations each. It only grows with time, so older missions score higher. Methods145
g-indexg-index: the largest g for which the g most-cited papers together hold at least g² citations. Like the h-index, but it lets the most-cited papers count for more. Methods221
m-index, as of October 4, 2026m-index: a mission’s h-index divided by the years since its first peer-reviewed paper. It falls every 1 January even when nothing else changes, so it belongs to the date shown; it also discounts the long operating life that larger missions paid for. Methods4.7
toritori (total research impact, from ADS): for every paper citing one of the mission’s papers, 1 divided by the citing paper’s reference count times the cited paper’s author count, summed, with self-citations removed. It favors citations from papers with short reference lists and from outside the mission’s own authors. Computed over the tracked citation graph, which can be slightly incomplete. Methods605
riqriq (research impact quotient): 1,000 times the square root of tori, divided by the years since the mission’s first paper. A rate, not a total, so it does not keep growing with age the way the h-index and tori do. Methods793

Tracked publications

  1. X-Ray Properties of Black-Hole Binaries

    Remillard, Ronald A., 2006, ARA&A

    2,409 citations

  2. Thermonuclear (Type I) X-Ray Bursts Observed by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer

    Galloway, Duncan K., 2008, ApJS

    751 citations

  3. High-mass X-ray binaries as a star formation rate indicator in distant galaxies

    Grimm, H.-J., 2003, MNRAS

    649 citations

  4. First Results from the All-Sky Monitor on the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer

    Levine, Alan M., 1996, ApJ

    648 citations

  5. Millisecond Oscillations in X-ray Binaries

    van der Klis, M., 2000, ARA&A

    640 citations

  6. Diffuse Continuum Gamma Rays from the Galaxy

    Strong, Andrew W., 2000, ApJ

    597 citations

  7. The Spin of the Near-Extreme Kerr Black Hole GRS 1915+105

    McClintock, Jeffrey E., 2006, ApJ

    590 citations

  8. Calibration of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array

    Jahoda, Keith, 2006, ApJS

    543 citations

  9. Correlated X-Ray Spectral and Timing Behavior of the Black Hole Candidate XTE J1550-564: A New Interpretation of Black Hole States

    Homan, Jeroen, 2001, ApJS

    534 citations

  10. A model-independent analysis of the variability of GRS 1915+105

    Belloni, T., 2000, A&A

    526 citations

  11. Gravitational Radiation and Rotation of Accreting Neutron Stars

    Bildsten, Lars, 1998, ApJ

    497 citations

  12. The evolution of the timing properties of the black-hole transient GX 339-4 during its 2002/2003 outburst

    Belloni, T., 2005, A&A

    486 citations

  13. Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Observation of Cygnus X-1. II. Timing Analysis

    Nowak, Michael A., 1999, ApJ

    482 citations

  14. Radiation mechanisms and geometry of Cygnus X-1 in the soft state

    Gierliński, Marek, 1999, MNRAS

    467 citations

  15. The Evolution of Black Hole States

    Homan, Jeroen, 2005, Ap&SS

    463 citations

  16. RXTE Observations of QPOs in the Black Hole Candidate GRS 1915+105

    Morgan, E. H., 1997, ApJ

    462 citations

  17. Measuring the broad-band power spectra of active galactic nuclei with RXTE

    Uttley, P., 2002, MNRAS

    456 citations

  18. Millisecond X-Ray Variability from an Accreting Neutron Star System

    Strohmayer, Tod E., 1996, ApJ

    449 citations

  19. Radio/X-ray correlation in the low/hard state of GX 339-4

    Corbel, S., 2003, A&A

    442 citations

  20. X-Ray Spectral Variability and Rapid Variability of the Soft X-Ray Spectrum Seyfert 1 Galaxies Arakelian 564 and Ton S180

    Edelson, Rick, 2002, ApJ

    422 citations

How we found these papers

We searched NASA’s Astrophysics Data System (ADS) for peer-reviewed articles naming RXTE in the title, abstract or keywords; standard filters drop articles that are not peer-reviewed and magazine pieces. SciX is ADS’s current interface.

((abs:RXTE OR =abs:"Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer" OR =abs:"Rossi-XTE" OR abs:HEXTE OR =abs:"XTE observations" OR =abs:"XTE observation" OR =abs:"XTE data" OR =abs:"XTE/PCA" OR =abs:"XTE/ASM" OR =abs:"observed with XTE" OR =abs:"observed by XTE")) AND property:refereed AND doctype:article AND pubdate:[1996-02 TO 2040-01] AND NOT bibstem:("A&R" OR "AIASJ" OR "AeAm" OR "AirSp" OR "AsNow" OR "AsUAI" OR "AvWST" OR "C&E" OR "C&T" OR "CAPJ" OR "E&S" OR "ENews" OR "IrAJ" OR "JCos" OR "JRASC" OR "LAstr" OR "MNSSA" OR "Met" OR "NewSc" OR "Orion" OR "PhT" OR "PhTea" OR "PhuZ" OR "PhyOJ" OR "PhyW" OR "PlR" OR "SciAm" OR "SpFl" OR "ZemVs")

Open in SciX

Added after review (1)

  1. Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar 1E 1048.1-5937: Pulsed Flux Flares and Large Torque Variations RXTE monitoring of flares and torque changes in the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 1048.1-5937. Decision 🤖

Removed after review (80)

  1. 1998A&A...339L..69F BeppoSAX and optical observations of XTE J0421+560; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  2. 1998ApJ...508L.163C BeppoSAX observations of XTE J1709-267; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  3. 1999A&A...348L...9S Optical observations of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  4. 1999ApJ...517L.131J Optical observations of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  5. 2000A&A...354..938N Indian X-ray satellite observations of XTE J1748-288; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  6. 2000A&A...356...50C Optical, infrared and radio observations of XTE J0421+560; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  7. 2000ApJ...543L.133K ASCA observations of XTE J1748-288; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  8. 2000MNRAS.316..137Z Optical photometry of XTE J2123-058; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  9. 2001ApJ...553..307D Optical spectroscopy of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  10. 2001ApJ...561.1006F BeppoSAX observations of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  11. 2002A&A...384..163C BeppoSAX observations of XTE J2012+381; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  12. 2002A&A...395..141S Uses EXOSAT's proportional counter array; not RXTE. Decision 🤖
  13. 2002ApJ...568..845O Optical spectroscopy of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  14. 2002ApJ...569..423T Optical spectroscopy of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  15. 2002ApJ...577..346R Chandra observations of Aquila X-1; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  16. 2002ApJ...578..391J XMM-Newton spectroscopy of Hercules X-1; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  17. 2002MNRAS.334..999Z Optical observations of XTE J1859+226; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  18. 2002MNRAS.337L..23C Near-infrared observations of XTE J1908+094; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  19. 2002PASJ...54..285U Optical observations of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  20. 2003A&A...403..523A HEGRA gamma-ray observations of a blazar; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  21. 2003A&A...411L.437K INTEGRAL observations of EXO 2030+375; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  22. 2003ApJ...582..933T Chandra observations of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  23. XMM-Newton Spectroscopy of the Accretion-driven Millisecond X-Ray Pulsar XTE J1751-305 in Outburst XMM-Newton observations of XTE J1751-305; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  24. 2003ApJ...592.1110F BeppoSAX observations of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  25. 2003MNRAS.341..823J Chandra and ROSAT observations of XTE J1709-267; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  26. 2003PASJ...55L..73N Infrared observations of XTE J1720-318; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  27. 2004ApJ...602..913P ASCA and BeppoSAX study of an X-ray pulsar; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  28. 2004ApJ...610..933T Chandra and BeppoSAX observations of XTE J2123-058; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  29. 2004ApJ...615..402M Chandra observations of XTE J1118+480; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  30. 2005A&A...430..997L INTEGRAL observations of XTE J17391-3021; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  31. 2005A&A...434.1069M INTEGRAL observations of an X-ray burst; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  32. 2005A&A...438..617L BeppoSAX observations of GX 301-2; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  33. 2005A&A...440..637R Optical observations of XTE J1858+034; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  34. 2005A&A...444..221S INTEGRAL observations of XTE J1739-302; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  35. 2005A&A...444..431S INTEGRAL observations of six AGN; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  36. 2005ApJ...619..446Y Simulations fitted to BeppoSAX spectra of XTE J2012+381; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  37. 2005ApJ...632..504C Radio and Chandra observations of jets from H1743-322; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  38. 2005MNRAS.356..125B Radio and infrared observations of XTE J1720-318; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  39. 2005MNRAS.361.1180G Optical photometry of XTE J0929-314; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  40. 2006A&A...455..639C Optical and infrared observations of XTE J1720-318; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  41. 2006A&A...458..591D Infrared polarimetry of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  42. 2006ApJ...636..381P XMM-Newton study of a gamma-ray burst afterglow; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  43. 2006ApJ...636..971C Chandra observations of XTE J1550-564; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  44. 2006MNRAS.365.1387C Near-infrared observations of XTE J1908+094; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  45. 2006MNRAS.366..235H XMM-Newton observations of XTE J1650-500; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  46. 2006MNRAS.367..659D BeppoSAX observations of XTE J1650-500; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  47. 2006MNRAS.370..255N Optical spectroscopy of XTE J0929-314; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  48. 2007ApJ...666.1129R Swift observations of XTE J1817-330; "XTE" appears only in the source's name, not as RXTE. Decision 🤖
  49. 2007ApJ...669..862A MAGIC gamma-ray observations of Markarian 501; does not name RXTE. Decision 🤖
  50. Internal friction behavior of liquid As ₓTe _{1- x} mixtures Materials-science study of liquid alloys; unrelated to RXTE. Decision 🤖