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At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Short-term time variability of Cygnus X-1

Autocorrelation functions, power-density spectra, and cross-correlation functions were calculated for 71 observations of Cyg X-1 by the Uhuru satellite. The average autocorrelation function and power-density spectrum were found to be independent of energy and consistent with a shot-noise source with a characteristic time constant of 0.45 s. The data in different energy bands were found to be 100 percent correlated.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Observations of Cygnus X-3 from a balloon-borne X-ray telescope

X-ray measurements in the energy range 20-150 keV were made from a balloon-borne telescope on June 1 1975. Three scans, centered at phases 0.45, 0.60, and 0.70, respectively, of the 4.8 hr cycle, were conducted. The observed relative intensity as a function of phase differs significantly from previously reported X-ray measurements.

Ricker, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The time variability of Cygnus X-1

The shot-noise character of the short-term time variations of Cyg X-1 is reviewed. Evidence for the systematic variation of these parameters with the binary period is presented.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Blue band photometry of Cygnus X-1

Results of blue band photometry of HDE 226868 in the years 1972-3-4 and provisional results for 1975 are presented. A mean light curve is obtained from the first three years observations which is based on 192 nights observations. Intercomparison of the results from the different years shows that the light curve is not constant.

Walker, E. N.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Spectral variability of Cygnus X-3

Spectra of Cyg X-3 from 1.7 to 40 keV, obtained about a year apart using the same rocket payload, show large spectral differences. The two observations suggest that while the luminosity of this source remains roughly the same, its spectrum can vary from a featureless blackbody distribution to a flat spectrum which includes strong iron line emission at approximately 6.7 keV. The flux in the line is 0.018 (plus or minus 0.004) photons per sq cm/sec, corresponding to an equivalent continuum width of 1.2 keV.

Serlemitsos, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

New results from long-term observations of Cygnus X-1

Observations of Cyg X-1 between October 1974 and July 1975 reveal a persistent 5.6-day modulation of the 3-6 keV X-ray intensity, having a minimum in phase with superior conjunction of the HDE 226868 binary system. The modulation is found to be most pronounced just prior to the April-May 1975 increase of Cyg X-1, after which both the modulation and intensity are at their lowest values for the entire duration of the observations. These data imply that the X-ray emission from Cyg X-1 arises from the compact member of HDE 226868, and that the increase of April-May 1975 may have represented the depletion of accreting material which had not yet been mixed into a cylindrically symmetric accretion disk about the compact member.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A spinar model of Cygnus A

It is proposed that a gravitationally bound supermassive object is located in the 'core' of each of the Cyg A radio clouds and that these objects are responsible for the prolonged ejection of magnetic plasma which produces the synchrotron radio emission. The objects are considered to be analogous to the massive rotators, or spinars, which have been used to model the central radio and optical activity of quasars. The formation of Cyg A is described in terms of the breakup of such an object in the central optical galaxy, and the physical properties of both the compact and the giant clouds are discussed, including the effects of intergalactic drag. It is shown that the spinars are capable of effectively replenishing the extended radio clouds with relativistic electrons, even if they are embedded within the compact clouds. The spinars are modeled quantitatively, and their possible detection is considered. The requirements of the proposed model are compared with those of several other models for bright double radio galaxies.

Flasar, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Three-color photometry of HDE 226868 - The optical counterpart of Cygnus X-1

Results of UBV photoelectric observations of HDE 226868 (Cyg X-1) obtained on fifty nights during 1974 are presented. These observations show a light curve with the following characteristics: (1) two unequal light maxima and minima during the 5.6-day orbital period which exhibit a peak-to-peak magnitude change of about 0.07 mag in all colors; (2) a small phase-dependent color variation which results in a reddening in both color indices of about 0.003 mag at times of light minima; (3) erratic light variability on a general time scale of days with an amplitude of plus or minus 0.01 to 0.02 mag and no apparent color dependence.

Lester, D. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Observations of rapid X-ray flaring from Cygnus X-1

SAS-3 observations of Cyg X-1 in October 1976 show the source to be in a highly active state exhibiting rapid continual flaring on time scales of 1 to 10 s. The flares exhibit temporal structure and variable spectra, but their mean spectrum is similar to that of the source as a whole. The characteristic time scales of the source are 2 to 4 times longer than those previously observed. It is suggested that this active phase of Cyg X-1 signals a modified accretion-disk structure. The flares may result from correlated bunches of the same 'shots ' which are thought to explain the rest of the short-time-scale variability of the source. While the flares superficially resemble X-ray bursts, they are distinct in several respects.

Canizares, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A new optical supernova remnant in Cygnus

The letter reports the discovery of a filamentary emission-line structure at right ascension 19 hr 31 min and declination +31 deg 10 min (1950) during an emission-line survey of the Milky Way. This structure is classified as a supernova remnant on the basis of its similarity to several other SNRs, but is shown not to be part of the Gamma Cygni complex. A physical diameter of about 70 pc is obtained for this SNR along with a distance of approximately 1200 pc, a shock velocity of at least 50 km/s, an initial density of about 0.5 per cu cm, and an age of approximately 300,000 yr.

Gull, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Short-term time variability of Cygnus X-1. II

A complete theory for shot-noise analysis is presented. The theory takes into account the effects of counting statistics, time resolution, and finite observing times on the autocorrelation function and on the moments of data assumed to consist of shot noise plus a steady component. When applied to X-ray observations of Cyg X-1 in the high and low states, the results provide evidence that both the typical correlation time (about 0.5 s) and the fraction of flux in shots (about 30%) are constant, independent of the state. The rate of occurrence of the shots may also be constant at approximately one shot per second, a possibility which, if verified, would imply that the principal difference in time variability in the two states is the amplitude of the shots. We also suggest that the occasionally observed large flares may possibly be just the rare superposition of several shots.

Sutherland, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the physical reality of the millisecond bursts in Cygnus X-1 - Bursts and shot noise

The method of data analysis used to interpret the millisecond temporal structure of Cyg X-1 is discussed. In particular, the effects produced by the shot-noise variability of this source, which occurs on time scales of about 0.5 s, are examined. Taking into account the recent discovery that only about 30% of the flux may be in the shots, it is found that spurious 'millisecond bursts' will be detected. A comparison of the properties of these bursts with currently published experimental data is performed.

Weisskopf, M. C.↗