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Buccheri, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Buccheri, R..

The search for MeV gamma-ray pulsars with COMPTEL

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) completed a full sky survey in November 1993 during which the number of known gamma-ray pulsars more than doubled. During this survey the Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) observed the classical isolated pulsars Crab and Vela and detected PSR 1509-58. Attempts to detect the newly discovered pulsars, Geminga, PSR 1706-44 and PSR 1055-52, in the COMPTEL energy range provide only upper limits. The results of these analyses are presented together with the outcome of a search for further candidate radio pulsars whose ephemerides are given in the Princeton Pulsar Catalogue.

Bennett, K.↗

The Crab nebula and pulsar in the MeV energy range

The imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) is sensitive in the energy range of 0.75 to 30 MeV. COMPTEL observed the Crab several times during the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) sky survey and CGRO Phase II. Both the Crab pulsar and nebula are detected over the entire COMPTEL energy range. The phase-averaged energy spectra of the Crab Pulsar and Nebula are presented. The combined observations provide sufficient statistics for a phase-resolved analysis of the Crab pulsar spectrum.

Much, R.↗

High-energy gamma-ray and hard X-ray observations of Cyg X-3

COS-B viewed the Cyg X-3 region seven times between November, 1975, and February, 1982; a search for steady gamma-ray emission pulsed at the characteristic 4.8-hour period did not reveal its source. Leiden-MIT balloon experiment observations of Cyg X-3 in May, 1979 show the 4.8-hour modulation with sinusoidal light curve and modulation depth of 0.30, for energies of up to about 140 keV. The strong variability of Cyg X-3 over more than one order of magnitude at energies below 20 keV does not emerge in the data collected at hard X-ray energies.

Hermsen, W.↗

The feasibility of periodicity searches in gamma-ray astronomy

It is presently noted that, in some cases, the usually infeasible conduct of searches in gamma-ray astronomy can be rendered feasible by means of a time-smoothing technique that yields only a moderate sensitivity loss. The total observing time is subdivided into a convenient number m of subintervals, and summing the values of H of each of the subintervals. This will reduce the number of independent frequency values by a factor m due to the shorter observing time.

Buccheri, R.↗

Cyg X-3: Not seen in high-energy gamma rays by COS-B

COS-B had Cyg X-3 within its field of view during 7 observation periods between 1975 and 1982 for in total approximately 300 days. In the skymaps (70 meV E 5000 meV) of the Cyg-X region produced for each of these observations and in the summed map, a broad complex structure is visible in the region 72 deg approximately less than 1 approximately less than 85 deg, approximately less than 5 deg. No resolved source structure is visible at the position of Cyg X-3, but a weak signal from Cyg X-3 could be hidden in the structured gamma-ray background. Therefore, the data has been searched for a 4.8 h timing signature, as well as for a source signal in the sky map in addition to the diffuse background structure as estimated from tracers of atomic and molecular gas.

Hermsen, W.↗

Search for periodicities near 59 s in the COS-B gamma-ray data of 2CG195+04 (Geminga)

The COS-B data relating to five observations in the general direction of Geminga, spanning 6.7 years, were searched for pulsation near 59 s. The SAS-2 indication is not confirmed. An indication of a 59 s pulsation in the gamma ray emission from 2CG195+04 (Geminga) was reported. Early analysis of COS-B data supported the result while later improved statistics did not confirm it. Subsequently, detection of a 59 s pulsation in the emission from the direction of Geminga at ultra high gamma and X-rays was reported. Geminga was identified with the X-ray source 1E0630+128. The final COS-B data on Geminga which was observed five times for a total of 214 days are reported.

Buccheri, R.↗

A search in the COS-B data base for correlated time variability in regions containing objects of interest

As is well known, association of the gamma-ray sources with celestial objects is, in general, difficult on a pure positional basis, while correlated time variability could obviously provide such proof. This technique can be employed on regions of the gamma-ray sky containing interesting objects of known variability at some wavelength even in the absence of a recognized gamma-ray excess with the aim to extract a weak but predictable signal from the surrounding noise. This technique is applied here on a longer variability time scale, generally of the order of days. Photons coming from the sky regions centered on the various celestial objects considered were selected with energies 100 MeV and with arrival directions within an energy-dependent area of radius of approx 6 deg at 100 MeV. In order to construct a time profile of such photons, their arrival times were grouped in bins of dimensions defined by the available photons number and by the value of the period searched for.

Caraveo, P. A.↗

COS-B gamma-ray sources and interstellar gas

Of the gamma-radiation observed above 100 MeV only a few percent is due to the catalogued sources which are viewed against intense background mission from the Galactic plane. There has been considerable recent success in modelling the Galactic plane emission as the interactions of cosmic rays with atomic and molecular interstellar gas; Bloemen, et al., demonstrate that large angular scale features of the observations are well reproduced in this way. By extending the analysis to small angular scales, which of the eCG sources might be due to conventional levels of cosmic rays within clumps of gas are shown and which cannot be so explained. With the use of a more sophisticated model the results presented improve and extend those of an earlier report. So far only the data above 300 MeV is used where the instrument's angular resolution is at its best.

Pollock, A. M. T.↗

The final COS-B database now publicly available

The data obtained by the gamma ray satellite COS-B was processed, condensed and integrated together with the relevant mission and experiment parameters into the Final COS-B Database. The database contents and the access programs available with the database are outlined. The final sky coverage and a presentation of the large scale distribution of the observed Milky Way emission are given. The database is announced to be available through the European Space Agency.

Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A.↗

The final COS-B database: In-flight calibration of instrumental parameters

A method for the determination of temporal variation of sensitivity is designed to find a set of parameters which lead to maximum consistency between the intensities derived from different observation periods. This method is briefly described and the resulting sensitivity and background variations presented.

Strong, A. W.↗

COS-B observations of gamma-ray emission from local galactic features

Evidence for large scale correlations between the high-energy photon sky and the known local distribution of diffuse interstellar matter is discussed. Evidence is presented of correlations with the Gould's Belt and the Dolidze Belt. The correlations indicate that the emission of gamma rays at medium latitudes can be explained by the distribution of interstellar matter, and the interaction of CR with interstellar matter can explain the mechanism of the gamma-ray emission by regarding the emissivity as a global average of the two systems since they contain most of the local dense cloud.

Bignami, G. F.↗