Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Dolan, J. F..
Several BL Lacertae objects were observed at energies above 25 keV using the scintillation telescopes on OSO-8 and Ariel-5. With the possible exception of Markaryan 421, only upper limits were obtained for the existence of X-ray emission in the energy ranges 25-60 and 60-130 keV. These results impose constraints on any flattening in the X-ray spectrum of BL Lac objects as predicted by at least one model for their X-ray emission.
Her X-1 was observed from 1977 August 30 to September 10 using the High-Energy X-Ray Scintillation Spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite. The observation, during which the source was monitored continually for nearly an entire ON-state, covered the energy range from 16 to 280 keV. Pulsed flux measurements as a function of binary orbit and binary phase are presented for energies between 16 and 98 keV. The pulsed flux between 16 and 33 keV exhibited a sharp decrease following the fourth binary orbit and was consistent with zero pulsed flux thereafter. The pulsed spectrum was fitted with a power law, a thermal spectrum without features, and a thermal spectrum with a superposed gaussian centered at 55 keV. The latter fit has the smallest value of chi - squared per degree of freedom, and the resulting integrated line intensity is 1.5 superscript + 4.1 subscript - 1.4 x .001 photons s superscript-1 cm superscript-2 for a width of 3.1 superscript + 9.1 subscript -2.6 keV. This result, while of low statistical significance, agrees with the value observed by Trumper (1978) during the same On-state.
Line features in the high-energy X-ray spectrum of Her X-1 are attributed to an approximately 1% change in detector gain. The spectrum was obtained by a high-energy X-ray detector aboard OSO-8. The time-averaged spectrum of Her X-1 for the period August 31-Sept. 6, 1977 is presented; the count-rate spectrum was corrected for an average change in gain of 0.7%. The best fit power-law is reported.
Observations of Her X-1 were obtained during its ON-state in September, 1977, with the high-energy X-ray detector on board OSO-8. Upper limits on the line fluxes at 60 and 135 keV based on these observations are above, and hence consistent with, the positive results reported by Trumper, et al from a balloon flight during the same time interval. A detailed analysis of the time-variable et al background spectrum suggests that the line emission, especially in the time-averaged spectrum of Her X-1 previously reported by other workers at 25, 60, and 135 keV, is due to instrumental effects. The spectrum obtained with OSO-8 in September, 1977, is considerably steeper than that observed in pre-1976 balloon flights. These results are consistent with the results obtained by Trumper showing a decrease in the effective temperature of Her X-1 between May, 1976, and September, 1977.
X-ray spectra of Cygnus XR-1 were measured with the scintillation spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite during a period of one and one-half to three weeks in each of the years from 1975 to 1977. Observations were made when the source was both in a high state and in a low state. Typical spectra of the source between 15 and 250 keV are presented. The observed pivoting effect is consistent with two temperature accretion disk models of the X-ray emitting region. No significant break in the spectrum occurred at energies up to 150 keV. The high state as defined in the 3 to 6 keV bandwidth was found to be the higher luminosity state of the X-ray source. One transition from a low to a high state occurred during observations. The time of occurrence of this and other transitions is consistent with the hypothesis that all intensity transitions occur near periastron of the binary system, and that such transitions are caused by changes in the mass transfer rate between the primary and the accretion disk around the secondary.
The results from extended high energy X-ray observations of Scorpius XR-1 from the OSO-8 satellite are reported here. The source was observed for a total of 15 days in 1975, 1977 and 1978. Simultaneous 10.7 GHz and 4.75 GHz radio data were obtained during the 1978 observation, and low energy X-ray data during the 1975 and 1978 observations. The data reveals a lack of any correlation between the high energy X-rays and the other energy ranges. A three standard deviation upper limit of 22% was obtained for any modulation of the high energy flux with the binary period. No high energy tail was observed at any time.
Results are reported for a measurement of the X-ray spectrum of the Crab Nebula over the energy range from 20 to 500 keV with a scintillation spectrometer aboard the OSO-8 satellite. A time-averaged spectrum of the nebula is presented which includes the average intensity of the X-ray pulsar NP 0532. The photon spectrum is shown to be well-fitted by a power law with a constant of approximately 4.19, a weighted mean energy of 39.1 keV, and a spectral index of about 2.00. No evidence is found for day-to-day variations in the spectrum of the source. The spectrum obtained is taken as evidence for the single power-law character of the Crab Nebula spectrum out to at least 200 keV and probably to as high an energy as 500 keV.
High-energy X-ray spectra of the Crab Nebula, Cyg XR-1, and Cen A were determined from observations with the scintillation spectrometer onboard the OSO-8 satellite, launched in June 1975. Each of these sources was observed over two periods of 8 days or more, allowing a search for day-to-day and year-to-year variations in the spectral and temporal characteristics of the X-ray emission. No variation in the light curve of the Crab pulsar was found from observations which span a 15-day period in March 1976, with demonstrable phase stability. Transitions associated with the binary phase of Cyg XR-1 and a large change in the emission from Cen A are reported.
The observed transitions at energies above 20 keV show that the spectrum of Cyg XR-1 exhibits the pivoting effect during intensity transitions expected from two-temperature accretion disk models of the X-ray emitting region. Cyg XR-1 was observed with the high-energy X-ray spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite from November 11-19, 1975 and from October 27 to November 15, 1976 (excluding the period from November 1 to November 7, 1976).
The X-ray spectrum of the Crab Nebula was measured with the scintillation spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite. The total emission of the X-ray source shows no long term variability. The spectrum itself can be described by a single power law out to energies of at least 500 keV.
The linear polarization of the optical counterpart of the transient X-ray source A0620-00 is interstellar in magnitude, position angle, and wavelength dependence. The magnitude of the polarization is consistent with a distance greater than 1 kpc.
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Net polarization of celestial X-rays could lead to specification of source mechanism producing radiation
Abundance of molecules, ions and atoms in late- type dwarf, giant and supergiant atmospheres
Gamma ray spectrum emitted by Sun and prediction of approximate fluxes at Earth based on solar flare model
Mechanisms of solar gamma radiation production - prediction of fluxes at earth