X-ray spectroscopy with the ANS satellite
Preliminary results from the Bragg crystal spectrometer on the ANS satellite are given. No significant Si XIII and Si XIV narrow line emission has been detected from Cygnus X-1, -2, or -3.
Schnopper, H. W.↗
Engineering topics
Gursky, H.
Publications and source records attributed to Gursky, H..
Observations of Cygnus X-3 by ANS
The hard X-ray experiment (1 - 28 keV) on ANS observed Cygnus X-3 in November 1974, and in May 1975. The average flux intensities for these time periods were found to be 22.4 + or - 0.5 cts/sec and 12.8 + or - 0.3 cts/sec (1.3 - 7.1 keV), the former being the highest average value ever observed. The spectrum studies show an excess in the flux above the fitted continuum which can be interpreted as a line emission of FeXXIV and/or FeXXV, at approximately 6.5 keV. The strength of this feature varied in phase with the 4.8 hr X-ray modulation, and remained at a constant relative intensity. The period of the X-ray modulation is refined to 0.1996813 + or - 0.0000006 day and obtained at a 2 sigma upper limit to a continuous change in the period of 50 to the minus 13th power/sec. This new limit places serious constraints on several models for this object.
Parsignault, D. R.↗
Observations of Cygnus X-1 in its two intensity states by ANS
The hard X-ray experiment (1 - 28 keV) on ANS, observed Cygnus X-1 in November 1974, and in May 1975, putting in evidence the two dramatically different states of this object. The average intensity in November was 15 cts/sec, and the observations showed remarkable features in the X-ray light curve and in the spectrum, which were correlated with the 5.6 days period of HDE226868. The May observations showed a count rate of approximately 80-100 cts/sec, with fluctuations up to approximately 130 cts/sec, uncorrelated with the spectroscopic binary. The May X-ray spectrum was much softer than the November one, and possibly was made up of two components.
Parsignault, D. R.↗
The 'other' galactic X-ray sources
There is a standard model for X-ray sources comprising a binary system containing a compact star and powered by mass accretion. It can be argued that the majority and perhaps all the galactic X-ray sources are of this kind. Three kinds of sources which may be qualitatively different from these are discussed: namely, low luminosity sources such as 3U0352 + 30, the sources associated with the globular clusters, and the transient X-ray sources.
Gursky, H.↗
Binary X-ray stars and supernovae of type I
Most of the strong galactic X-ray sources must be low-mass close binary systems, such as Her X-1 and Sco X-1. Two evolutionary scenarios are discussed, both involving type I supernovae that occur when mass-accreting white dwarfs are driven over their mass limit. In one, accepting the correctness of the idea that a neutron star or black hole is the seat of the X-ray emission, the SN occurs before the system is an X-ray source. Another possibility is that the white dwarf is the X-ray source, just prior to its collapse and the ensuing SN.
Gursky, H.↗
The Hard X-ray experiment on the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite
The Hard X-ray Experiment flown on the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite is described. The instrument consists of two parts. One is a large-area detector of about 60 sq cm in total area, sensitive in the energy range between 1.5 and 30 keV. Two counters comprise this detector, each collimated 10 min by 3 deg and offset in the narrow direction by 4 min. The other part is a Bragg-crystal assembly consisting of two PET crystals and counters aligned to search for the silicon emission lines near 2 keV. Instrument characteristics and orbital operations are described.
Gursky, H.↗
The location and intensity of the X-ray source Centaurus A observed by the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite
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Grindlay, J. E.↗
Possible identification of a high-latitude X-ray source with a QSO by the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite
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Schreier, E.↗
ANS hard X-ray experiment development program
The hard X-ray (HXX) experiment is one of three experiments included in the Dutch Astronomical Netherlands Satellite, which was launched into orbit on 30 August 1974. The overall objective of the HXX experiment is the detailed study of the emission from known X-ray sources over the energy range 1.5-30keV. The instrument is capable of the following measurements: (1) spectral content over the full energy range with an energy resolution of approximately 20% and time resolution down to 4 seconds; (2) source time variability down to 4 milliseconds; (3) silicon emission lines at 1.86 and 2.00keV; (4) source location to a limit of one arc minute in ecliptic latitude; and (5) spatial structure with angular resolution of the arc minutes. Scientific aspects of experiment, engineering design and implementation of the experiment, and program history are included.
Parsignault, D.↗
Correlation analysis of X-ray emission from Cygnus X-1
Normalized autocorrelation and cross-correlation coefficients have been calculated for the X-ray emission of Cygnus X-1 in two energy bins, 2.1-5.1 keV and 5.1-12 keV. The analysis shows a strong correlation between the pulsations in the two energy bins, with the low-energy pulsations lagging behind the high-energy ones, or alternatively a shorter duration of the pulse trains in the high-energy bin. The power spectral density derived from the autocorrelation functions indicates a larger contribution of the high-frequency components for the higher-energy X-rays.
Brinkman, A. C.↗
The third Uhuru catalog of X-ray sources
A new edition of the catalog of X-ray sources observed with Uhuru is presented. About 125 days of data have been analyzed for the 3U catalog, yielding a total of 161 X-ray sources. The distribution of sources is similar to that obtained for earlier editions of this catalog. Location error regions for many of the sources previously listed in the 2U catalog have been significantly reduced in size.
Giacconi, R.↗
Clusters of galaxies with a wide range of X-ray luminosities.
A search through 125 days of Uhuru data for X-ray emission from X-ray sources associated with Abell clusters is reported. X rays from 16 clusters have been observed. Ten of these are newly discovered and not listed in the previous Uhuru catalog. Seven cases, where the 22 MHz flux has been measured, show a wide spread of relative X-ray and radio luminosity. The discovery of low-richness clusters with high X-ray luminosity provides a possible explanation for some of the unidentified high-latitude X-ray sources.
Kellogg, E.↗
Further X-ray observations of Hercules X-1 from Uhuru.
Recent data are presented concerning the X-ray source Hercules X-1. Details of the 1.24-sec pulse shape and its variability are shown. The 1.24-sec period is observed to decrease with time, with an overall change of 4.5 microsec between January and July 1972. The X-ray intensity shows regular on states lasting 11 or 12 days followed by 24-day off states. While the source turn-on is not strictly periodic, the shape of the on state can be used to determine a period of 34.88 plus or minus 0.12 days for this cycle. The source turn-ons are found to only occur at one of two well-defined phases in the 1.7-day orbit.-
Giacconi, R.↗
The X-ray structure of the Vela X region observed from Uhuru.
The X-ray source 2U 0832-45 in the Vela X region is centered on the pulsar PSR 0833-45 and is less than 1.2 deg in extent. Weak X-ray emission is seen from two other localized regions within the radio complex, but the diffuse emission of the Vela X-ray nebula seen below 2 keV is not detected in the Uhuru energy range. We consider it likely that the X-ray source at the pulsar is being excited by the rotational energy loss of the pulsar.
Kellogg, E.↗
The X-ray Emissivity of the Universe: 2-200 Kev
Observational results on the diffuse X-ray background between 2 and 200 keV are reported. Data are presented as a function of the volume emissivity function B (E) (ergs/sec cu Mpc keV emitted at energy E). The prescription for this is first to establish the spectral intensity I (E) (ergs/sec sq cm ster keV) measured at the earth, second to subtract the contribution due to known, discrete sources, and third to unfold the integral equation which relates the measured intensity to the emissivity.
Schwartz, D.↗
Description of small-scale fluctuations in the diffuse X-ray background.
An analytical study of the fluctuations on a small angular scale expected in the diffuse X-ray background in the presence of unresolved sources is presented. The source population is described by a function N(S), giving the number of sources per unit solid angle and unit apparent flux S. The distribution of observed flux, s, in each angular resolution element of a complete sky survey is represented by a function Q(s). The analytical relation between the successive, higher-order moments of N(S) and Q(s) is described. The goal of reconstructing the source population from the study of the moments of Q(s) of order higher than the second (i.e., the rms fluctuations) is discussed.
Cavaliere, A.↗
The number-intensity distribution of X-ray sources observed by Uhuru.
The Uhuru catalog of X-ray sources is used to analyze the number versus apparent-intensity relation of X-ray objects, by constructing (log N, log S)-plots similar to those used in radio astronomy. The source number distribution is corrected for nonuniform sky coverage of the spacecraft. Two distinct distributions for objects at low (less than 20 deg) and high (more than 20 deg) galactic latitude are discussed. The distribution for low galactic latitude objects (which are mainly galactic) gives further information on their location within the Galaxy and their intrinsic luminosity. The distribution for high-latitude objects is consistent with an extragalactic origin of these sources. Evidence from the longitudinal distribution of these objects is used to further demonstrate their extragalactic nature.
Matilsky, T.↗
Evidence for the binary nature of 2U 1700-37.
Analysis of Uhuru data on the X-ray source 2U 1700-37 has revealed the presence of regular occultations. The period is 3.4 days with an occultation duration of 1.1 days. The source is highly variable on a time scale of minutes. Significant intensity variations have also been observed on a time scale of 0.1 second with a 3 sigma upper limit of 17 percent on the percentage periodically pulsed. The energy spectrum is flat and shows a large amount of low-energy absorption. The data indicate that 2U 1700-37 is an X-ray source in a binary system. The 6.6-mag O7f star HD 153919 is suggested as the optical candidate.-
Jones, C.↗