Engineering topics

Hasinger, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Hasinger, G..

27 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1990

Observations of Cygnus X-2 with IUE - Ultraviolet results from a multiwavelength campaign

IUE observations of Cyg X-2 obtained during June and October 1988 are reported and analyzed, with reference to data from simultaneous X-ray and radio observations and the predictions of theoretical models. The results are presented in extensive tables and graphs and characterized in detail. The UV flux is shown to increase monotonically as the X-ray emission moves along the Z-shaped trajectory from the horizontal to the flaring branch and the estimated mass accretion rate increases from about 6 x 10 to the -9th to 1.6 x 10 to the -8th solar mass/yr. Model calculations indicate that X-ray illumination of the accretion disk accounts for at least 80 percent of the observed UV emission, with 20 percent or less from the X-ray-heated surface of the companion star and less than 1 percent from the cool surface.

Vrtilek, S. D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Calibration of the Rosat High Resolution Imager (HRI)

The microchannel plate-based High Resolution Imager (HRI) is one of the focal plane instruments of the Rosat X-ray telescope that was launched on 1 June 1990. The calibration of the HRI is reported and preliminary results from the in-orbit calibration are presented. The quantum efficiency of the detector has been determined as a function of energy, the spatial variation of quantum efficiency, geometric nonlinearities, background, imaging performance, and UV sensitivity. Results of periodic tests of the temporal stability of the instrument are also reported.

Zombeck, M. V.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Quasi-periodic oscillations in the bright Galactic bulge X-ray source GX 340 + 0

Quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) have been detected in the X-ray flux of the bright Galactic bulge X-ray source GX 340+0. The QPO, the associated red noise, and their relation to the spectral state of the source are described. The QPO behavior is found to be similar to that seen in Cyg X-2 and GX 5-1.

Van Paradijs, J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The complex cross-spectra of Cygnus X-2 and GX 5-1

The intensity variations of Cyg X-2 and GX 5-1 are analyzed with a Fourier cross-spectral technique making it possible to measure the frequency dependence of the time lags between the intensity variations in two X-ray spectral bands. In the 20-40 Hz frequency range of the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO), the hard (about 5-18 keV) signal lags the soft (about 1-5 keV) one, while the reverse is true for the associated red noise. The observed time lags range from 0.4 to 8 ms. For similar QPO parameters, the observed lags are much smaller in GX 5-1 than they are in Cyg X-2. The 'hard lags' previously measured in the cross-correlation functions of these sources are now identified as due to lags in the QPO. It is argued that the 'soft lags' now detected in the red noise are not inconsistent with the interpretation of the hard lags as due to inverse Compton scattering.

Van Der Klis, M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Time lag between hard and soft X-ray photons in QPO

The millisec-order delay between quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed from Cyg X-2 and GX 5-1, in a high-energy and a low-energy bandpass, may be due to the Compton scattering of photons in a cloud of hot electron gas, depending on optical depth, electron temperature, and cloud radius, as well as input photon spectra. Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate how the observed delay and X-ray spectrum can be used to constrain the size of the scattering cloud, for an assumed input spectrum of photons. Both QPO in emergent photons and a time lag between high and low energy photons can be generated not only by the scattering of an oscillating signal in a constant cloud, but also by the scattering of a constant source of input photons through a cloud with oscillating optical depth.

Stollman, G. M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-ray flux of GX3+1 (4U 1744-26)

Exosat observations of GX3+1 in 1985 showed the presence of low-frequency noise (LFN) roughly below 10 Hz, and the presence, during the September 4 observation, of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) with a strength of about 3 percent. The LFN strength was seen to increase from 2-6 percent for photon energies increasing from 2-10 keV. No correlation is found between the occurrence of QPOs and source intensity. It is suggested that the QPOs detected in GX3+1 may be similar in nature to the 5.6-Hz QPOs observed in Cyg X-2 which are also not observed in the horizontal branch.

Lewin, W. H. G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Bimodal quasi-oscillatory and spectral behavior in Scorpius X-1

Exosat observations of Sco X-1 obtained using the Xe and/or Ar detectors for a total of about 80,000 s during four runs on August 24-27, 1985 are reported and analyzed. Two modes of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) corresponding to the quiescent and active states of Sco X-1 and to two modes of spectral behavior are identified and characterized, confirming the findings of Priedhorsky (1985) and Middleditch and Priedhorsky (1986). In the quiescent state, the QPO frequency is about 6 Hz and is anticorrelated with intensity, and the spectral hardness ratio (14-21 vs 2-7 keV) varies steeply with intensity; in the active state, QPO frequency is correlated with intensity and varies from 10 to 20 Hz, and the spectral-hardness-ratio/intensity curve is flatter. Previous observations of bimodal behavior in other bands are summarized, and theoretical models proposed to explain them are discussed.

Priedhorsky, W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Bimodal quasi-oscillatory and spectral behavior in Sco X-1

X-ray observations were made to follow up the discovery of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) in Sco X-1. The QPO is observed in the quiescent state, and between flares in the active state. When the source is quiescent, the QPO frequency is 6 Hz and anticorrelated with intensity; in the active state, the frequency ranges from 10 to 20 Hz and is strongly correlated with intensity. At high intensities the QPO dissolves into continuum noise. The QPO rms amplitude decreases with count rate, and increases with photon energy. There are two modes of spectral behavior, with a one-to-one correspondence to the two modes of QPO: the spectral hardness ratio varies more steeply with intensity when the source shows 6 Hz QPO, than for 10 to 20 Hz QPO. Transitions between QPO modes, which occur when the flux is at its lowest levels, correspond to transitions between hardness ratio modes. The QPO frequency changes continuously through the transitions, which last a few hundred seconds.

Priedhorsky, W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Scatter of X-rays on polished surfaces

In investigating the dispersion properties of telescope mirrors used in X-ray astronomy, the slight scattering characteristics of X-ray radiation by statistically rough surfaces were examined. The mathematics and geometry of scattering theory are described. The measurement test assembly is described and results of measurements on samples of plane mirrors are given. Measurement results are evaluated. The direct beam, the convolution of the direct beam and the scattering halo, curve fitting by the method of least squares, various autocorrelation functions, results of the fitting procedure for small scattering, and deviations in the kernel of the scattering distribution are presented. A procedure for quality testing of mirror systems through diagnosis of rough surfaces is described.

Hasinger, G.↗