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NASA NTRS1978

Infrared observations of the galactic center. IV - The interstellar extinction

Infrared observations of the compact sources and background in the galactic center are used to derive the 1.25-12.5-micron interstellar extinction law. The depth of the interstellar 10-micron silicate absorption feature is derived from observations of the M supergiant IRS 7. The ratio of visual to silicate extinction is found to be 8 + or - 3. From the colors of individual sources and the background, it is concluded that there are no more than 6 mag of visual extinction within the central 3 pc of the galactic center.

Becklin, E. E.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Positions of galactic X-ray sources with l/II/ between -20 deg and +6 deg

The precise positions of nine X-ray sources in the vicinity of the galactic center are reported. The data were obtained as part of the comprehensive survey of the galactic plane performed with the rotating modulation collimator detectors on the SAS-3 X-ray observatory. The sources include the binary X-ray source 4U 1700-37 which has a well established optical counterpart that lies 7 sec from the reported position. The other sources GX 349+2, 4U 1702-42, 4U 1705-44, MX 1716-31, A 1742-294, 4U 1755-33, GX 5-1, and 2S 1803-245 lack established counterparts in other wavelengths. The obtained position for GX 5-1 adds confidence to the radio counterpart proposed by Braes et al. (1972). The reported position for 4U 1755-33 excludes the optical counterpart proposed by Jones et al. (1974).

Jernigan, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Transient X-ray sources in the galactic plane

Uhuru observations of the galactic plane indicate the presence of four X-ray sources not previously characterized as transient: MX 0836-42, A1918+14, 4U 1730-22, and 4U 1807-10. X-ray light curves as well as positional and spectral information are presented for these sources and for 4U 1908+00, a recurrent transient source. The frequency, duration, and intensity of galactic-plane transients during the Uhuru lifetime are discussed. Transient X-ray sources appear to be divided into two classes based primarily on an observed bimodal spectral temperature distribution.

Cominsky, L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Intensity and spectral variability of strong galactic X-ray sources observed by ANS

Hard X-ray observations by the ANS are used to analyze the energy spectrum and intensity fluctuations on time scales of seconds to days for 20 luminous galactic sources, of which 11 are galactic-bulge (GX) sources having no obvious identification with source categories. It is found that: (1) most GX sources are best fitted in the energy range from about 1 to 20 keV by exponential spectra with a source temperature (kT) of approximately 5 keV; (2) iron line emission around 6.7 keV is always detected as a persistent spectral feature of at least six and possibly seven of the sources studied; (3) most of the iron-line sources exhibit a direct correlation between kT and intensity (I) in the band from 1.4 to 7.2 keV; (4) no burst source counterparts or candidates show a direct correlation between kT and I, at least two show an inverse correlation, and no iron line emission is detected at a 3-sigma level from burster counterparts during burst-active states. A classification scheme for GX sources is proposed, and several observational tests for this scheme and for possible source models are described.

Parsignault, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Positions and identifications for galactic X-ray sources 2A1822-371 and 2S1254-690

Precise positions and optical identifications for the galactic X-ray sources 2A1822-371 (4U 1822-37) and 2S 1254-690 (4U 1254-69) were obtained by used of a described scanning modulation collimator on HEAO 1 and are reported. Neither is thought to be substantially reddened since both show strong ultraviolet excesses and are located at a relatively high galactic latitude. The distance of 4U 1254-69 is estimated to be approximately 10 kpc.

Griffiths, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

A search for X-ray pulsations from the Galactic Centre

A search has been conducted for periodic X-ray behavior in the Galactic Center, a region known to contain several point sources. No pulsations are detected in the range from about 2 sec to 2000 sec. The assumption that part of the steady flux from the Galactic Center is due to the steady contribution of bursters is discussed. It is also noted that the absence of pulsations does not necessarily undermine the proposed binary-neutron star models for the burst sources.

Cordova, F. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Gamma-rays of 3 to 25 MeV from the galactic anti-center and pulsar NP 0532

Gamma-rays of 3 to 25 MeV are reported from the galactic anticenter region and the Crab Pulsar, NP 0532. The observations were carried out from Palestine, Texas, on May 13, 1975. Gamma-rays from the galactic anticenter were observed as the Crab Nebula passed overhead within 10 deg of the zenith. Pulsed gamma-rays from NP 0532 were observed at a 4.4-sigma significance level. The total flux from 3-25 MeV is 0.0049 + or - 0.002 photon/sq cm-sec. The pulsed flux from NP 0532 from 3 to 25 MeV is 0.00043 + or - 0.00026 photon/sq cm-sec. The ratio of the total to the pulsed flux from 3 to 25 MeV is 11 + or - 8.

Wilson, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Comparison of high energy gamma rays from absolute value of b greater than 30 deg with the galactic neutral hydrogen distribution

High-energy gamma-ray (energy above 35 MeV) data from the SAS 2 satellite have been used to compare the intensity distribution of gamma rays with that of neutral hydrogen (H I) density along the line of sight, at high galactic latitudes (absolute values greater than 30 deg). A model has been constructed for the case where the observed gamma-ray intensity has been assumed to be the sum of a galactic component proportional to the H I distribution plus an isotropic extragalactic emission. A chi-squared test of the model parameters indicates that about 30% of the total high-latitude emission may originate within the Galaxy.

Ozel, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Cosmic electrons, galactic radio background and cosmic ray confinement

Cosmic ray electron measurements and radio background data are analyzed to obtain bounds on the galactic magnetic fields. It is shown that the magnetic field required to explain the radio flux must be greater than 2 micro Gauss. The difference in the steepening of the radio spectra towards the Anticenter and the Halo Minimum provides evidence that the magnetic field decreases with the height above the galactic plane. The calculations of Bulanov and Dogiel (1975) are applied to the radio and electron observations. It is shown that the most plausible interpretation of these results requires that the electron injection spectrum has an intrinsic flattening below a few GeV. The observed steepening of radio and electron data is apparently a combined effect of the injection spectrum and the first break due to continuous energy loss of electrons in space.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Persistent emission from X-ray burst sources and the nature of galactic bulge X-ray sources

Intrinsic persistent emission from galactic bulge X-ray sources and the ratio of the average persistent X-ray luminosity to the time-averaged burst luminosity associated with Type I burst sources are discussed in the light of the thermonuclear flash model of X-ray burst emission. Values of the ratio between average persistent luminosity and time-averaged burst luminosity for a large collection of SAS 3 sources are presented to confirm the predictions of the burst model of thermonuclear flashes in freshly accreted matter on a neutron star. The model also predicts a critical value of the persistent accretion rate, below which bursts can occur. It is suggested that the galactic bulge X-ray sources represent neutron stars undergoing accretion, with burst sources accounting for a subset in which the accretion rate is below the critical value.

Van Paradijs, J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Detection of high energy X-rays from the galactic center region

Observations of the galactic center region made with the high energy X-ray detector on OSO-8 are discussed. A strong hard X-ray which was detected during these observations from the vicinity of the galactic center are examined. The counting rate spectrum and the photon number spectrum of the flux are determined. Comparisons with the high energy X-ray fluxes observed from sources in the region by others are discussed.

Dennis, B. R.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Galactic distribution models of gamma-ray burst sources

The log N-log S relationships for several galactic distribution models of gamma-ray burst sources are derived. The resulting curves are substantially different from the galactic curves usually assumed (slope = -1). There is a relatively weak dependence on the radial distribution assumed but a strong dependence on scale height. Available observational data from several experiments appear to rule out both thin disk distributions and extended halo distributions which have a strong radial density dependence. The prospects are good for obtaining self-consistent distribution data from future large-area detectors.

Fishman, G. J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Gamma-ray evidence for a galactic halo

Gamma-ray evidence for the existence of a cosmic-ray halo around the Galaxy is examined. Gamma-ray data obtained by SAS-2 and COS-B and nonthermal radio continuum data are shown to indicate the nonconfinement of cosmic rays to the spiral arms and thus the existence of a larger propagation disk through which cosmic rays diffuse. The latitudinal distribution of gamma rays observed by SAS-2 is found to be consistent with the existence of a thin disk-shaped electron halo of half-thickness 1.5 kpc. The propagation of nucleons is determined indirectly from their radial distribution in the galactic plane, which is obtained from an analysis of the longitudinal distribution of gamma rays in the plane. The resulting distributions are found to be similar to the distribution of supernovae in the Galaxy, implying a galactic origin for cosmic rays and a half-thickness of less than 3 kpc.

Stecker, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS1980

High resolution measurements of galactic cosmic-ray neon, magnesium, and silicon isotopes

High-resolution measurements of the abundances of individual isotopes of neon, magnesium and silicon in galactic cosmic rays are reported. The Caltech Heavy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope on board the ISEE 3 spacecraft was used to obtain measurements in the range 30 to 180 MeV/n at an rms mass resolution of 0.20 amu. Results indicate excesses of Ne-22 as well as Mg-25 and Mg-26 in galactic cosmic rays with respect to their solar system abundances. Calculations of the effects of interstellar propagation and solar modulation on cosmic-ray isotope abundances also imply an Mg-25 + Mg-26 cosmic ray source fraction significantly greater than the solar system fraction, and it is suggested that the cosmic ray source material and solar system material were synthesized under different conditions.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

On ultracold molecular gas toward the galactic center

Several positions near the galactic center (Sgr A) in the J=1-0 rotational transitions of (C-12)O, (C-13)O, and C(O-18) were observed in order to better understand the nature of the 'very cold' molecular gas whose existence was first stressed by Liszt and his colleagues (1975, 1977). It is established that several dips in the (C-12)O spectra are due to optically thick clouds of foreground CO with relatively low excitation temperatures (T sub ex). T sub ex is found to be greater than about 5.3 K for all such (C-12)O clouds in all five observed directions. Such clouds fall at the extreme low end of the measured range of T sub ex for nearby dark clouds, but would, nonetheless, generally be detected in sensitive emission surveys of galactic CO.

Zuckerman, B.↗

NASA NTRS1980

A galactic component of the diffuse X-ray flux in the range 2-7 keV

An analysis of the spatial distribution of the 2-7 keV X-ray background measured by Uhuru and reported by Schwartz (1979) is presented. The latitude distribution above 10 deg is consistent with a uniform isotropic component comprising the bulk of the radiation plus a galactic part varying from 3% at /b/ = 20 deg to 1% at /b/ = 90 deg. An analysis was made of the residual background based on the work of Warwick, Pye, and Fabian, in terms of a directional anisotropy as indicated by the Compton-Getting effect; the symmetrical galactic contribution was subtracted in the computations. It was shown that the results are consistent with the solar system moving through the 2-7 keV X-ray sea in the same manner as it appears to move with respect to the 2.7 K radiation.

Protheroe, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Molecular clouds and galactic spiral structure

Two large-scale 2.6 mm CO surveys of the galactic plane, one in the first quadrant (l = 12 to 60 deg, b = -1 to +1 deg), the other in the second (l = 105 to 139 deg, b = -3 to +3 deg), have provided evidence that, contrary to previous findings, molecular clouds constitute a highly specific tracer of spiral structure. Molecular counterparts of five of the classical 21-cm spiral arms have been identified: the Perseus arm, the local arm (including Lindblad's local expanding ring), the Sagittarius arm, the Scutum arm, and the 4-kpc arm. The region between the local arm and the Perseus arm is apparently devoid of molecular clouds, and the interarm regions of the inner Galaxy appear largely so. CO spiral structure implies that the mean lifetime of molecular clouds cannot be greater than 100 million years, the time required for interstellar matter to cross a spiral arm. Conservation of mass then sets a limit on the fraction of the interstellar medium in the form of molecular clouds: it cannot exceed one-half at any distance from the galactic center in the range 4-12 kpc.

Cohen, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Observations of diffuse galactic gamma rays

Observations of 35 MeV to several GeV diffuse gamma radiation from the galaxy are available from the SAS-2 and COS-B instruments. This paper gives a brief review of the experimental problem, a discussion of the high-latitude (local) galactic component, and a study of the more distant low-latitude emission from the galactic plane. Finally, the emerging observations in other energy ranges are mentioned.

Simpson, G. A.↗