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Rieger, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Rieger, E..

25 records · Page 2

Observation of gamma-ray bursts from 10 keV to 9 MeV

Time histories and count-rate spectra of some of the gamma-ray bursts detected by the spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission between Feb. 20, 1980, and May 1981 are presented. Individual peaks observed in some of the bursts are found to differ significantly in hardness from one another. The similarity in the time profiles in the different energy bands is seen as suggesting that photons spanning two decades in energy are produced by the same mechanism. It is noted that all of the bursts are detected to energies greater than approximately 1 MeV. Two of the spectra presented are seen as being well fit by single power laws; the indices, however, are strikingly different. The other two sepctra require either two power laws or an exponential function. No clear evidence is found for the existence of narrow line features in any of the bursts.

Share, G. H.↗

Spatial variation for flares observed with the gamma ray spectrometer aboard the SMM satellite

A search is made for anisotropic X-ray bremsstrahlung photon production from relativistic electrons by studying the heliocentric angular dependence of 53 flares detected at energies above 300 keV. No evidence is found for a higher rate of detectable flares near the limb at the 80 percent confidence level. This result implies that the X-ray directivity as defined by the ratio of photon intensity at 75 deg and 0 deg of heliocentric angle is less than 1.5 above 300 keV and strongly rejects any flare model predicting X-ray production from a radial 'beam' of energetic electrons.

Zolcinski, M. C.↗

Observations with the SMM gamma-ray spectrometer - The impulsive solar flares of 1980 March 29

Gamma-ray continuum emission from 0.3 to 1 MeV was observed with the gamma-ray spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite during two impulsive solar flares on 1980 March 29, from active region 2363 at 0918 UT and from active region 2357 at 0955 UT. Evidence is presented for a hardening of the spectrum during the impulsive phase of the flares. The photon intensity greater than 100 keV appears to decay at a slower rate than that at lower energies. Time-integrated photon spectra for both flares are incompatible with a single-temperature thermal-bremsstrahlung model. Upper limits for prompt and delayed gamma-ray lines are presented.

Ryan, J. M.↗

The gamma ray spectrometer for the Solar Maximum Mission

The paper describes an actively shielded, multicrystal scintillation spectrometer for measurement of the solar gamma ray flux used by the Solar Maximum Mission Gamma Ray Experiment. The instrument provides a 476-channel pulse height spectrum every 16.38 s over the 0.3-9 MeV energy range; the gamma ray spectral analysis can be extended to at least 15 MeV on command. The instrument is designed to measure the intensity, energy, and Doppler shift of narrow gamma ray lines, the intensity of extremely broadened lines, and the photon continuum.

Forrest, D. J.↗

Incoherent scatter radar observations of westward electric fields. II

In this paper we describe the results of a series of geomagnetic meridian plane radar incoherent scatter plasma transport measurements. From such data the eastward (zonal) component of the electric field can be deduced. The results show that the electric field has an eastward component whenever the discrete auroras are northward of the region of the measurement. The zonal field component turns westward as the discrete auroras move equatorward of the region of the measurement. Thus, there is an eastward electric field boundary near the equatorward limit of the discrete aurora, which is the poleward boundary of the diffuse aurora during undisturbed periods. During a particularly disturbed period, we also observed three pronounced substorm-related enhancements of the westward-directed zonal field. For midnight and morning sector substorms, the enhancements preceded the substorm onset times by 20-30 min.

Rino, C. L.↗

Investigation of mid-latitude ionospheric currents by combined rocket techniques.

A comprehensive range of neutral atmospheric and simultaneous ionospheric structure measurements were obtained from a Skylark rocket launched at Woomera during evening twilight on a quiet magnetic day. Above 150 km, good agreement was found between the results obtained from three different methods of electric field measurement despite the low field strength (about 1.5 mV/m). In the immediate vicinity of an intense sporadic E layer, the probe measurements indicated large excursions of the electrostatic field amounting to 6.5 mV/m at 105.3 km and 2.7 mV/m at 104.8 km. The calculated ionospheric current system in the vicinity of the rocket trajectory was of similar magnitude to that indicated by local ground-based magnetometers, but was diametrically opposed in direction.

Rees, D.↗