Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Serlemitsos, P. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Serlemitsos, P. J..

At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Evidence for a 16.6 day period from Circinus X-1

Analysis of All-Sky Monitor observations of Cir X-1 (3U 1516-56) over the period from October 1975 to April 1976 has revealed a well-defined modulation of the 3-6-keV flux at a period of 16.585(+ or - 0.01) days. The light-curve is characterized by an abrupt drop in emission occurring on a time scale of no more than about 0.07 day, with epoch JD 2,442,877.181(+ or - 0.07). No clear correspondingly sharp increase in emission is observed during the cycle, so a noneclipse origin for this effect cannot be ruled out.

Kaluzienski, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The 35-D X-ray profile of Her X-1

Substantial X-ray emission as reported by Ariel 5 from Her X-l midway through the extended low-state portion of its 35-day cycle is examined. A similar feature during another cycle measured from UHURU satellite is also examined. It is proposed that this feature should occur regularly, consistent with some models for the mass accretion disc which have been reported in the literature. The results of the analysis of 500 days of Ariel-5 All-Sky Monitor data are reported which support the view that the feature occurs regularly in the 35-day cycle.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

High resolution measurements of the low state of Cyg X-1

Cyg X-1 was observed on two occasions separated by a year by the same X-ray rocket payload. High resolution temporal and spectral data reveal that Cyg X-1 was essentially unchanged in these two observations a year apart, with bursts of millisecond duration observed in the earlier flight and also, observed in the second. Analysis of these bursts has failed to reveal any internal temporal structure, either luminous or spectral. The shot noise character of temporal fluctuations on timescales approximately 1 second can be explained by the presence of exponential pulses with a fraction of a second time constant and a rate near 8 sec/1. The possible connection of these pulses with the bursts is examined.

Rothschild, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Spectral variability in the X-ray pulsar GX 1 + 4

Observations of the galactic-center-region hard X-ray source GX 1 + 4 by the GSFC X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 confirm that GX 1 + 4 is a slow X-ray pulsar. The amount of absorption by cold matter in the spectrum of GX 1 + 4 varies significantly within a 24-hour period, which is typical of many X-ray binary systems. The light curve for the pulsations from GX 1 + 4 appears to be energy-dependent.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

All-sky monitor observations of the decay of A0620-00 (Nova monocerotis 1975)

The All-Sky X-ray Monitor onboard Ariel 5 has observed the 3-6 keV decline of the bright transient X-ray source A0620-00 on a virtually continuous basis during the period September 1975 - March 1976. The source behavior on timescales 100 minutes is characterized by smooth, exponential decays interrupted by substantial increases in October and February. The latter increase was an order-of-magnitude rise above the extrapolated exponential fall-off, and was followed by a final rapid decline. Upper limits of 2.5% and 10% were found for any periodicities in the range 0d.2 - 10d during the early and later decay phases, respectively. A probable correlation between the optical and 3-6 keV emission from A0620-00 was noted, effectively ruling out models involving traditional optical novae in favor of Roche-lobe overflow in a binary system. The existing data on the transient X-ray sources is consistent with two distinct luminosity-lifetime classes of these objects.

Kaluzienski, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The Her X-1 spectrum - A measure of the field near the magnetic poles of a neutron star

The steep high energy cutoff observed in the spectrum for Her X-1 is analyzed in terms of the severely modified Thomson scattering that dominates the radiative transfer in a highly magnetized plasma near the surface of a neutron star. The data are shown to indicate a field of about 10 to the 13th G near the magnetic poles and the stopping of accreting matter by nuclear collisions in the neighboring plasma

Boldt, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

X-ray emission from the supernova remnant G287.8-0.5

The GSFC Cosmic X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 observed a weak galactic X-ray source near theta 2 at 288 deg, b2 at -1 deg. The spectrum for this source between 2-20 keV is well represented by a thermal spectrum of kT = 7.34(+3.6), sub -2.6 keV with an intense iron emission line centered at 6.5 + or - .2 keV. The error box of the Uhuru source 4U1043-59, the only known X-ray source in our field of view, contains the radio supernova remnant G287.8-0.5. The possible association of the X-ray source with this supernova remnant is discussed.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Variations in the spectra and pulse period of GX301-2

Spectra from observations of GX301-2 (3U1223-62) by the Goddard X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 show an absorption edge due to cool iron with column densities of a few x 10 to the 19th power/cm squared. A decrease in intensity was associated with increased absorption and a spectrum similar to those of binary X-ray sources in absorption dips. Observed variations of the pulse period are consistent with Doppler shifts for reasonable orbit parameters.

Swank, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A return to the pre-1971 intensity level and a 5.6-d modulation for Cyg X-1

A 5-day modulation in the 'high-state' X-ray intensity data obtained by the Ariel V all-sky monitor for November 1975-January 1976 is reported. The light curve decrement (the fraction of the total source emission over one 5-day cycle which is deficient at superior conjunction) is 0.019 plus or minus 0.003, compared with 0.029 plus or minus 0.004 for a similar 5.6-day modulation observed before the April 1975 flare. The results are most easily explained by scattering from ionized material between the two stellar components which extends outside the orbital plane.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Iron line emission from a high-temperature plasma in Cassiopeia A

The letter reports a measurement of the X-ray spectrum of Cas A with a proportional counter on board OSO-8. The high-energy data (greater than 7 keV) are found to agree equally well with a power law having a number index of about 4.5 and with a thermal spectrum having kT of about 3.9 keV. A narrow iron line predicted by the thermal model is also observed; this line is centered at about 6.67 keV and has an equivalent width of approximately 1270 eV. The low-energy data (below 6 keV) are not fully accounted for by the above thermal spectrum, but are fitted well by an additional low-temperature thermal component with kT not exceeding 0.7 keV and an atomic hydrogen column density of approximately 10 to the 22nd power per sq cm. The iron abundance in the plasma at an electron temperature of 40 keV is estimated from the observed line-to-continuum ratio, and it is shown that a normal cosmic iron abundance is adequate to explain the observation.

Pravdo, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

X-ray observations of the Vela pulsar: Statistics and spectrum

The Vela pulsar was observed in the range 2-60 keV by the GSFC proportional counter experiment onboard OSO-8 with temporal resolution sufficient to make possible a sensitive search for pulsed X-rays at the radio pulsar period. A statistical analysis yielded 8 per cent as the 3 sigma upper limit on the pulsed fraction. The energy spectrum is fit well by a structureless power law with number index 2.21 + or - 0.2 and absorption by a hydrogen column density of N sub H equals 2.9 + or - 2.0 times ten to the twenty-second power per sq.cm.

Pravdo, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Evidence for a 16d.6 period from Circinus X-1

Analysis of All-Sky Monitor observations of Cir X-1 (3U1516-56) over the period October 1975 - April 1976 revealed a well-defined modulation of the 3-6 keV flux at a period of 16.585 + or - 0.01. The light-curve is characterized by an abrupt drop in emission occurring on a timescale of 0.07, with epoch JD 2,442,877.181 + or - 0.07. No clear correspondingly sharp increase in emission is observed during the cycle, so that a noneclipse origin for this effect cannot be ruled out.

Kaluzienski, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Evidence for an 11.2 day periodicity from Cygnus X-2

Evidence is reported for a periodicity of 11.17 (+ or - 0.10) days in the emission from Cygnus X-2. The data were obtained quasi-continuously over a period of more than one year with the Ariel-5 All-Sky Monitor. It is noted that this period is more than an order of magnitude larger than the 0.787-day binary period of Sco X-1 and is not a simple alias of a similarly short period. It is suggested that the 11.17-day modulation might be precessionally induced; otherwise, it would be rather unusual since the Cyg X-2 candidate is assumed to have a low-mass primary and periods in excess of about 2 days are usually associated with high-mass primaries.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Evidence for a 17-d periodicity from Cyg X-3

Data are presented from the Ariel-V All-Sky Monitor which indicate a 17-day periodicity of the X-ray spectra from Cyg X-3 (3U2030+40). The data are consistent with data from the Ariel V Sky Survey Experiment. Assuming that the high intensity state of Cyg X-3 is well fitted by a structureless black body (Serlemitsos et al., 1975), and that the 17-day maxima correspond to increased electron scattering in the source, it is suggested that the 17-day effect is analogous to the 35-day variation in Her X-1. The possible explanation of this phenomenon as a result of the 17-day orbital period of the binary system containing Cyg X-3 is severely constrained by the stability of the well-known 4.8-hour variation.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Long-term X-ray studies of Scorpius X-1. II - Evidence for flare-dominated intensity variations

Data on Sco X-1 obtained with the Ariel-5 All-Sky Monitor are analyzed for variability, and it is found that a large fraction of the X-ray emission at 3 to 6 keV can be represented by shot noise. The results indicate that almost all the emission in this range can be sensibly associated with a multiplicity of shotlike flares (about 200 a day), each having a duration of about 0.33 day. It is concluded that the overall consistency with a multiplicity of long-duration shots (rather than single flares superposed on a baseline continuum) may be generally characteristic of sources with an accretion disk.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Spectral variability in the X-ray pulsar GX 1+4

Observations of the galactic center region, hard X-ray source GX 1+4 by the GSFC X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 confirm that GX 1+4 is a slow X-ray pulsar. The amount of absorption by cold matter in the spectrum of GX 1+4 varies significantly within a 24 hour period, behavior typical of many X-ray binary systems. The light curve for the pulsations from GX 1+4 appears to be energy dependent.

Becker, R. H.↗