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Yentis, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Yentis, D..

A survey of rich clusters of galaxies with HEAO 1. II

Results are presented of an X-ray survey of approximately 1900 Abell clusters of galaxies performed with the NRL large-area X-ray detectors on HEAO 1. The cluster luminosity function derived from the observations made at ecliptic longitudes between 80 and 180 deg and 260 and 360 deg is fit with both power law and exponential relations, and used to estimate a total contribution of Abell clusters to the volume emissivity of the diffuse X-ray background of between 3 and 10%. No strong correlation is found between X-ray luminosity and Bautz-Morgan class, richness class or 26-MHz radio power, although B-M type I and Abell richness class 3 appear more likely to be strong X-ray sources. A correlation is suggested between optical radius and X-ray luminosity.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

Observations of outbursts from the recurrent X-ray transient A0538-66 and LMC X-4

Nine X-ray outbursts from the LMC have been observed with the HEAO 1 Large-Area Sky Survey Instrument. Some are shown to originate in the recurrent transient A0538-66, confirming the proposed 16 day periodicity and showing that the duration of the events can be as long as 14 days or as short as a few hours. Deviations from precise periodicity can be attributed to phase jitter or to a change in period occurring around the time of an exceptionally long outburst. Other outbursts which are irregular and consistently shorter originate in LMC X-4. A long-term light curve indicates that the LMC X-4 outbursts occur only when the source is in a high state, but are not strongly correlated with the binary phase.

Skinner, G. K.↗

A search for extended halos of hot gas in the Perseus, Virgo, and Coma Clusters

Observations of the Perseus cluster by the HEAO 1 satellite have revealed a faint X-ray halo extending at least 2.5 deg from the center and contributing between 5% and 20% to the total luminosity. This may be of nonthermal origin, but it also may be explained in terms of hot gas bound by the gravitational field of the cluster. Statistical uncertainties made it impossible to detect any such halo in the Coma cluster. Observations of the Virgo cluster confirmed the detection by the Ariel 5 satellite of a broad region of faint X-ray emission (core radius 60 arcmin). If the very extended X-ray emission from Virgo is due to hot intracluster gas, the density of this gas is lower than expected from a consideration of gas and galaxy densities in the Perseus cluster.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

The X-ray light curve of 4U 2129+47

The light curve of 4U 2129+47 is presented showing that it almost certainly has a period of approximately 0.22 days. This is the same period as the optical candidate proposed by Thorstensen et al. (1979). Binary X-ray source models, consisting of an M dwarf plus either a neutron star or a white dwarf, are briefly discussed.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

An X-ray survey of distant rich clusters of galaxies with HEAO 1

The paper presents a 1-10-keV survey of distance class 4, 5, and 6 Abell clusters using the HEAO 1 NRL large area survey experiment. The survey is a little less than 1/30 of the Abell catalog. Eleven clusters are identified with X-ray sources, and X-ray upper limits are provided for 60 others.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

Identification of a faint X-ray source with the W Ursae Majoris star VW Cephei

The NRL instrument aboard the HEAO 1 satellite has detected a faint X-ray source, which has been identified tentatively with the contact binary star (W UMa variable) VW Cephei. Its luminosity is between 3 x 10 to the 30th and 4 x 10 to the 31st ergs/sec (0.1-10 keV), and the results suggest some variation of the X-ray flux with phase.

Carroll, R. W.↗

HEAO 1 observations of 4U1232+07

An analysis of the NRL HEAO 1 observations of the Virgo cluster and 3C 273 has revealed X-ray emission from a region between these two objects. The most satisfactory explanation is the presence of two weak X-ray sources, for which error boxes have been obtained. One source is likely to be the peculiar galaxy IC 3576, suggested by Margon et al. (1972) as the source 2U 1231+07=4U 1232+07. The error box resulting from combining the present observations with the 4U data strengthen the X-ray identification with this extremely interesting galaxy. There are numerous possibilities for the other X-ray source, including the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 4410a and NGC 4410b (NGC 4410a/b).

Bhavsar, S. P.↗

GX339-4 - A new black hole candidate

HEAO-1 observations of aperiodic variability in the galactic X-ray source GX339-4 (4U 1658-48) on time scales of tens of milliseconds to a few seconds are reported. It is shown that the overall characteristics of GX339-4 place it in the same class of X-ray sources as Cyg X-1 and Cir X-1, which are candidates for black holes in binary systems. The detection of X-ray flares from GX339-4 is discussed, particularly a series of five sequential flares with separations of about 250 ms.

Samimi, J.↗

Soft X-ray sources and supernova remnants in Cygnus - Rocket and Apollo-Soyuz results

Soft X-ray observations of the Cygnus region obtained from proportional counters aboard a rocket and also on the Apollo-Soyuz mission are reported. It is found that Cyg X-6, a source whose flux in confined to the 0.5-2.0-keV band, is a long narrow filament oriented nearly perpendicular to the galactic plane. This feature has a linear dimension greater than or of the order of 150 parsecs, and its spectrum is adequately described by an exponential. Another intense soft source whose flux is also confined to the 0.5-2.0-keV band has been discovered near Gamma Cygni. This source, designed Cyg X-7, has a spectrum characterized by a temperature of 1.5 to 5 million K and a hydrogen column density of at least 10 to the 21st power per sq cm. The possible association of Cyg X-7 with the supernova remnant DR 4 is discussed. An interpretation of this object in terms of the standard adiabatic spherical-shock-wave model yields plausible values for the free paramenters. HB 21, another old supernova remnant, has not been detected as a soft X-ray source.

Davidsen, A. F.↗

X-ray emission from the supernova remnant MSH 14-63

X-ray emission in the 0.6-2.5-keV energy range has been detected from the supernova remnant MSH 14-63. The observed flux is 3.5 by 10 to the -10th power erg/sq cm per sec. The absence of lower-energy X-rays indicates a hydrogen column density consistent with the radio and optical distance estimates of 2.5 kpc.

Naranan, S.↗

A new measurement of the spin-up rate of SMC X-1

Observations of the X-ray pulsar, SMC X-1, made from an Aerobee rocket and an Apollo spacecraft have been re-analyzed. The rotation periods found have been combined with observations made from Uhuru, SAS-3, and Ariel 5 to obtain a new measurement of the spin-up rate of SMC X-1.

Yentis, D.↗

Discovery of X-ray pulsations in SMC X-1

Observations of SMC X-1 from an Aerobee rocket and an Apollo spacecraft have detected X-ray pulsations with a period of 0.716 s. The pulsed fraction in the 1.6-10-keV energy range is 25-35 percent. Evidence for significant pulse-shape and pulsed-fraction changes in the 0.6-1.6-keV range is also presented. The spectrum during both observations is fitted by a photon power law with a spectral index of -0.8 and normalization of 0.040.

Lucke, R.↗

Soft X-ray observation experiment MA-048

The Apollo Soyuz Test Project Soft X-ray Experiment was designed to observe celestial X-ray sources in the energy range from 0.1 to 10 kiloelectronvolts. The instrument that was used in the experiment obtained energy and fast timing data to characterize both the spectrum and the variability of known X-ray sources. Data were obtained on approximately 12 sources. During the mission, the instrument developed an intermittent high voltage discharge problem that resulted in the loss of approximately 75 percent of the anticipated data, including the scans intended for mapping of the low energy diffuse X-ray background.

Shulman, S.↗

Absence of iron line emission in Cyg X-3

An observation of Cygnus X-3 was made with soft X-ray detectors launched on an Aerobee rocket. The iron line emission observed one month later and in May 1975 was not found. A 3 sigma upper limit for this feature is 0.006 ph/2 cm/s.

Shulman, S.↗