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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS1980

The HEAO A-2 survey of Abell clusters and the X-ray luminosity function

The HEAO A-2 all sky data base was surveyed for 2-10KeV X-rau emission from the 225 Abell clusters og galaxies listed in Abell's (1958) catalog which are of distance class four or less, and are within the fraction of the sky surveyed completely by Abell. Thirty-two identifications of clusters with X-ray sources were made, for which 2-10 KeV fluxes and 90% error boxes are presented. Twelve of these identification are new. The X-ray luminosity function was derived for this statistically complete sample and the best exponential fit was found to be f(L) = 20.2 x 10 to the minus 8 power exp (-l(44)/1.9) per cu Mpc 2-10KeV. The relationship between X-ray luminosity and richness was examined and a correlation was found for richness classes 0, 1, and 2. The relationship of X-rau luminosity, Bautz-Morgan type, and Rood-Sastry type was examined. It was found that BM type I's and RS type cD and B have the greatest average luminosity. The contribution of clusters to the X-ray background was calculated from the luminosity function and was found to be 5%, and with 90% certainty, less than 8% in the 2-10 KeV band pass.

Mckee, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Radio emission in the directions of cD and related galaxies in poor clusters. III - VLA observations at 20 cm

VLA radio maps and optical identifications of a sample of sources in the directions of 21 Yerkes poor cluster fields are presented. The majority of the cluster radio sources are associated with the dominant D or cD galaxies (approximately 70 percent). Our analysis of dominant galaxies in rich and poor clusters indicates that these giant galaxies are much more often radio emitters (approximately 25 percent of cD's are radio active in the poor clusters), have steeper radio spectra, and have simpler radio morphologies (i.e., double or other linear structure) than other less bright ellipticals. A strong continuum of radio properties in cD galaxies is seen from rich to poor clusters. It is speculated that the location of these dominant galaxies at the cluster centers (i.e., at the bottom of a deep, isolated gravitational potential well) is the crucial factor in explaining their multifrequency activity. Galaxy cannibalism and gas infall models as fueling mechanisms for the observed radio and X-ray emission are discussed

Burns, J. O.↗
NASA NTRS1979

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.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Relativistic astrophysics - The view from Texas in Baltimore /Review/

Recent observational and theoretical work presented at the Tenth Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics held in Baltimore, Maryland from December 15-19, 1980, is outlined. Areas covered include the theoretical foundations of relativistic astrophysics in general relativity, quantum gravitational theory and the association of grand unification with astronomical and cosmological issues, the cosmic microwave, X-ray, gamma-ray, UV, cosmic ray and gravitational wave backgrounds, the current expansion rate and average mass-energy density of the universe, and mechanisms of galaxy formation. Also discussed are the characteristics of active galaxies and clusters emitting in the gamma-ray and X-ray regions, and compact objects formed from supernova explosions, including pulsars, X-ray-emitting neutron stars, Sco X-1 and SS 433, gamma-ray sources, and X-ray and gamma-ray bursters.

Trimble, V. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Low-frequency radio observations of poor clusters of galaxies

Observations have been made at the Clark Lake Radio Observatory of 16 poor clusters of galaxies at 34.3 MHz. Four of the poor clusters were detected at flux densities greater than 20 Jy. The spectra of the four detected clusters are all rather steep. Two of the detected clusters, AWM 4 and AWM 5, are also known to be X-ray sources. The possibility that the X-ray-emitting gas is heated by Coulomb interactions with the relativistic electrons responsible for the radio emission is investigated, and it is found that the observed X-ray luminosities can be accounted for if the electron energy spectrum extends to very low energies (gamma approximately 1-10). Collective plasma effects may increase the heating efficiency and eliminate the need to extrapolate the electron energy spectrum to such low values.

Hanisch, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Observations of the structure of the diffuse X-ray emission from the Coma cluster

The Coma cluster has been scanned by an array of large X-ray proportional counters equipped with 10 min x 4 deg (FWHM) collimators. The results suggest the peak surface brightness is not coincident with one of the two giant elliptical galaxies, NGC 4889 and 4874, and show the X-ray emission to be more extended in the 0.5-1.5-keV band than in the 1.5-5-keV band. No evidence is found for concentrated X-ray sources, like those in M87 and NGC 1275. The X-ray surface brightness contours have an ellipticity which resembles that of the galaxy mass distribution, and evidence is found for clumpiness in the intracluster gas.

Johnson, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The retention of hot gas in elliptical galaxies

The X-ray emission is interpreted from the fast-moving elliptical galaxy M86 (Forman et al. 1979) as evidence for the accumulation of an extensive gaseous envelope. The gas within this envelope is relatively hot, yet has until now been confined to the galaxy by the thermal pressure of the outer atmosphere of the Virgo cluster. The ram pressure of the intracluster gas in the cluster core is now stripping this envelope away. It is suggested that significant quantities of hot gas may be found in many elliptical galaxies.

Fabian, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1973

A study of galaxy groups and clusters - The case for a clumpy intergalactic medium.

A nonuniform model for a dense intergalactic medium is constructed under the assumption that all groups and clusters of galaxies are gravitationally bound by ionized gas. Catalogs by de Vaucouleurs and Abell are utilized to provide an almost complete sample of the spatial distribution of groups and clusters over a wide range of richness, and a distribution function is derived for galaxy groups and clusters as a function of velocity dispersion. A simple scaling law is applied to predict velocity dispersions for the very rich Abell clusters. Thermal bremsstrahlung emission from the intracluster gas accounts for the observed emission over 2 to 10 keV from several rich clusters, and also contributes up to 20% of the diffuse X-ray background over a considerable fraction of the observed range. The amount of X-ray emitting gas is restricted to a small fraction of the virial mass, with the remainder of the binding mass present as cooler ionized clouds. Available soft X-ray and ultraviolet diffuse background observations are used to define a narrow range of permissible temperatures and densities for these clouds.

Silk, J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

X-ray emission from galaxies and the universe

The study of X-ray emission from normal galaxies began with the launch of the Einstein Observatory in 1978. Galaxies of all Hubble types and point sources are discussed. It is concluded that statistical studies of bright Galactic sources, which relate to their evolution, are reliant upon the discovery of sources in many galaxies. It is also concluded that a substantial future increase (the Virgo cluster galaxies) requires a telescope system with better than arcminute resolution and a sensitivity better than 10 x that of Einstein.

Fabian, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Nonthermal hard X-ray emission from the nucleus of NGC 1275

Observations confirming the HEAO 1 discovery of a hard X-ray component in the X-ray spectrum of the Perseus cluster are reported. A comparison of the results with 1978 HEAO 1 observations and 1974 balloon limits shows that this component is variable on a time scale of one year. Synchrotron self-Compton models of the compact radio source centered on the nucleus of NGC 1275 predict a substantial secondary X-ray flux based on the observed radio data. While the observed X-ray flux is one-fourth the predicted value, uncertainties in the radio data are sufficient to account for the discrepancy. It is concluded that the hard X-ray flux originates in the active nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1275 through the synchrotron self-Compton process.

Rothschild, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Diffuse radiation

A diffuse celestial radiation which is isotropic at least on a course scale were measured from the soft X-ray region to about 150 MeV, at which energy the intensity falls below that of the galactic emission for most galactic latitudes. The spectral shape, the intensity, and the established degree of isotropy of this diffuse radiation already place severe constraints on the possible explanations for this radiation. Among the extragalactic theories, the more promising explanations of the isotropic diffuse emission appear to be radiation from exceptional galaxies from matter antimatter annihilation at the boundaries of superclusters of galaxies of matter and antimatter in baryon symmetric big bang models. Other possible sources for extragalactic diffuse gamma radiation are discussed and include normal galaxies, clusters of galaxies, primordial cosmic rays interacting with intergalactic matter, primordial black holes, and cosmic ray leakage from galaxies.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1972

Extragalactic cosmic rays.

A detailed analysis is given of the possibility that a large part of the primary cosmic-ray flux is of extragalactic origin. The problems encountered in theories of galactic cosmic rays are first critically discussed. The objections that have previously been raised to extragalactic theories, particularly on energetic grounds, are then examined. The general problem of the propagation of cosmic rays which are ejected from galactic nuclei or in galactic winds to fill clusters and superclusters is dealt with next. Attention is also given to the limits which are set on the presence of extragalactic cosmic rays by observations of high-energy electrons and background X-rays and gamma rays, or the heating of a hypothetical intergalactic gas. Observable effects of cosmic rays between galaxies are studied, and the possible sources of the local cosmic-ray protons in the extragalactic model are considered.

Brecher, K.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The extended X-ray source at M87.

It is shown that the X-ray source in Virgo must be intimately associated with the galaxy M87, as evidenced by the coincidence of the source centroid location with the galaxy. Although the presented results do not completely explain the origin of the X rays from the Virgo cluster, they do indicate that the bulk of the emission does not come from the nucleus or the jet, and they also indicate the presence of strong energy processes in a region surrounding M87. One view of the origin of these X rays is that they are due to relativistic electrons ejected from M87, and interacting with magnetic or radiation fields in intergalactic space by the synchrotron of inverse Compton process. The other view holds that the X rays could be due to thermal emission from a hot plasma.

Kellogg, E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

X-ray astronomical spectroscopy

The elementary spectral signatures of fundamental physical processes that might be operable in galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources are reviewed. Some of the instrument limitations of experimental techniques used in X-ray astronomical spectroscopy are described. X-ray spectroscopic measurements are examined for various types of X-ray-emitting objects, including degenerate and nondegenerate stellar systems, supernova remnants, clusters of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, and quasars.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

HEAO 1 observations of the Perseus cluster above 10 keV

Results are presented of HEAO 1 observations of the Perseus cluster from 10 to 150 keV in 1977 August and 1978 February and August. The spectrum exhibits a previously unknown hard (greater than 25 keV) component in addition to the previously known thermal bremsstrahlung emission. The data presented show no significant evidence of variability from 10.5 keV to 93.5 keV, and a comparison of our results with earlier results indicates no strong evidence for variability above 25 keV over a time scale of 4 yr. If the hard-component excess is due to NGC 1275, the data imply a 2-6 keV X-ray luminosity of 1 x 10 to the 44th ergs/s for the galaxy, or about 15% of the total cluster emission from 2 to 6 keV and a 25-40 keV luminosity of 8 x 10 to the 43rd ergs/s.

Primini, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A companion quasar to 3C345

The discovery of a new quasistellar object (QSO) which presents the strongest evidence to date for the membership of quasars in rich clusters is reported. During X-ray observations of quasar 3C345, a serendipitous X-ray source located 8 arcmin northeast of the quasar was discovered. The observed flux of the new source is 3.2 x 10 to the -13th erg/sq cm/sec in the 0.5-4.5 keV band. Three separate observations over a six-month period failed to show intensity variability in excess of the statistical uncertainty in the count rate. The spectrum shows a modest signal-to-noise ratio but four strong emission lines. It is suggested that the redshift agreement between the two QSOs indicates a common membership in a cluster of galaxies which may well be a rich cluster.

Margon, B.↗