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At least 109 records · Page 6

The Harvard experiment on OSO-6 - Instrumentation, calibration, operation, and description of observations.

The Harvard experiment carried by OSO-6 was an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer-spectroheliometer with a wavelength range of 285 to 1385 A, a spatial and spectral bandwidth of 35 x 35(arc sec) squared and 3 A, respectively. The instrument acquired data that have been deposited with the National Space Science Data Center and World Data Center A at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and are now available in their entirety to the scientific community. Aspects of the experiment that are relevant to potential users of the data are described - namely, instrument configuration and parameters, laboratory and inflight calibrations, as well as operational capabilities and procedures. The observations obtained are reported, and the nature, number, and dates of observation, where relevant, are listed.

Huber, M. C. E.↗

New transient source, Cepheus X-4, observed by OSO-7.

A new, apparently transient, X-ray source, Cep X-4, was observed from June 20 to July 7, 1972, by the UCSD X-ray telescope on OSO-7. Subsequent observations by the lower-energy MIT X-ray telescope on the same satellite confirmed the source and provided an improved position of alpha = 21 hr 37 min, delta = 56.78 deg (1950 coordinates) with an error circle radius of about 0.4 deg. Best fits to the UCSD data in the 7- to 37-keV range were obtained on June 20 to 28 and June 29 to July 6, 1972, respectively.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

Long-term X-ray observations of Scorpius X-1 by OSO-III.

Review of the observations of Scorpius X-1 in the energy range 7.7-22 keV provided by the X-ray telescope on the OSO-III satellite over the period from May 19 to June 13, 1967. Optical observations representative of the full range of temporal behavior of the source are available on 10 nights during this period. Sco X-1, in spite of being the most extensively observed X-ray source, remains one of the least understood. Coordinated observations in various wavelength bands, although inconclusive so far, represent potentially the most fruitful approach.

Pelling, R. M.↗

OSO-7 spectroheliograph mechanisms

The OSO-7 Orbiting Solar Observatory was launched on September 29, 1971. One of the two main sun pointing instruments aboard was a spectroheliograph for monitoring extreme ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the sun. The instrument has been operating successfully in orbit for approximately two years. The design solution to each of the mechanism tasks is described. Also described are certain developmental problems and their solutions which led to the ultimate mission success.

Matteo, D. N.↗

Thermal and nonthermal X-ray bursts observed from OSO-7

The UCSD solar X-ray experiment on the OSO-7 observes X-rays in the 2 to 15 keV range with a proportional counter and in the 10.6 to 300 keV range with a scintillation counter. The dynamic range and instrument parameters are chosen to separate X-ray emission due to a hot thermal plasma from that due to nonthermal electron populations for a large number of X-ray events associated with small flares. Many different morphological classes have been observed in the 200 or so principal events observed between October 1971 and June 1972. For events which have both a thermal and nonthermal component, we can perform an analysis which shows that in not all events is it possible for the nonthermal electrons to energize the thermal plasma. We observe many events which have no nonthermal component, at least one event which was purely power law on initiation, and several events which had a long, slow decay of the hard X-rays.

Peterson, L. E.↗

A survey of trapped low energy electrons near the inner boundary of the inner radiation zone from the OSO-7

Data from the MIT X-ray experiment on the OSO-7 satellite were used to delineate the regions in B-L and geographic spaces where trapped radiation was encountered. The results pertain specifically to electrons with energies in a range of 10 keV centered on 55 keV which were encountered in an orbit between altitudes of 330 and 570 km and latitudes of 33.3 degrees. A typical pitch angle distribution is fitted by a Gaussian with a FWHM of 28 degrees.

Neighbours, J. E.↗

Analysis of the 0.511 MeV radiation at the OSO-7 satellite

Observations of the 0.511 MeV positron annihilation, gamma ray on the OSO-7 satellite are presented. Variables which affect the counting rate are discussed. An upper limit flux of .0076 photons/sq cm/sec is obtained for the quiet sun and a positive solar flux of .063(+ or - .0002) photons/sq cm/sec is obtained for the 3B flare of 4 August 1972. The width of this annihilation line gives an upper limit temperature for the annihilation region of approximately 6 million K. An analysis of the line width and position also shows that the contribution to the line from positronium annihilation is less than 100% at the 99% confidence level. An upper limit is also found for an isotropic cosmic flux.

Dunphy, P. P.↗

Gamma-ray observations from the OSO-3 satellite

The result on gamma-rays obtained from the analysis of 5800 orbits of data from the University of Rochester telescope on board the OSO-3 satellite are presented. For gamma-rays of energy greater than 100 MeV, an upper limit of .00023 per sq cm per sec std has been placed on the diffuse (assumed isotropic) flux. An upper limit to the flux from the sun is set at .000032 and .000024 per sq cm per sec for energies greater than 50 and 100 MeV, respectively. All flux values are calculated assuming a neutral pion-decay source of gamma-rays.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Long-term observations of Cygnus X-2 from OSO-7

Results of observations of Cygnus X-2 are reported that were made with an X-ray telescope on board the OSO-7 satellite during the three intervals of January 9-16 and 21-26, 1972, and July 8-11, 1972. Random factor-of-two variations were found in the data. No statistically significant periodic variations were found in the range from 10 hours to 2 days.

Ulmer, M. P.↗

Extended observations of higher than 7-keV X-rays from Centaurus X-3 by the OSO-7 satellite

The UCSD X-ray telescope on board OSO-7 provided 43 days of continuous coverage of the variable X-ray source Cen X-3 at energies above 7 keV during December 1971 and January 1972. We detected the 4.8-sec pulsation period, the 2.087-day eclipse cycle, and an apparently nonperiodic, low-intensity state lasting more than 12 days. Spectra obtained over the 7-30 keV range during noneclipsed high-intensity states are steeper than those previously reported. Large changes, which may be characterized by a number spectral index alpha varying between 3.0 plus or minus 0.2 and 2.0 plus or minus 0.3, or by exponential spectra with kT varying from 6 plus or minus 2 to 13 plus or minus 3 keV, occur at different high-intensity states.

Baity, W. A.↗

A ten-day observation of Hercules X-1 from the OSO-7 satellite

The MIT X-ray detectors aboard the OSO-7 spacecraft viewed Hercules X-1 from November 14 to 24, 1972. X-ray turn-on in the 35-day cycle was observed to occur between phases 0.67 and 0.70 (November 18.64-18.70). A significant decrease in the X-ray intensity occurred near mid-orbital phase, approximately 1.5 days after X-ray turn-on. Using the 1-6 keV data obtained during the 35-day off state, we conclude that if the optical light curve is due to heating of the large star by a blackbody source of soft X-rays, then the source must be large (radius greater than 5,000 km) and cool (temperature (kT) less than 90 eV). During one eclipse period (November 20.8-21.0) we find evidence for 1-6 keV X-ray emission.

Mcclintock, J. E.↗

OSO-7 observations of a high-latitude X-ray source associated with Abell cluster A2052

An X-ray source with a flux of 1.6 times 10 to the -10th power ergs per sec/sq cm (2-10 keV) has been observed at high galactic latitude by the MIT X-ray detectors on the OSO-7 satellite. Designated GX 8+50, its position is 15 hr 14.2 min right ascension, 6 deg 51 min declination, with a 90 percent confidence error circle of area 0.5 sq deg. The data are consistent with a power-law spectrum with an exponent 1.2 (plus or minus 0.2) or a thermal-bremsstrahlung spectrum with kT = 4 plus or minus 1 keV. A likely identification is the Abell cluster A2052, whose center coincides with the radio source 3C 317.

Heinz, C. J.↗

The GSFC EUV and X-ray spectroheliograph on OSO-7

The Goddard Space Flight Center instrument carried on the pointed section of the OSO-7 satellite is described. This instrument contains: an extreme-ultraviolet spectroheliograph using glancing incidence optics of Wolter's Type II to focus the sun's light on the entrance slit of a concave grating spectrometer; an auxiliary H-alpha system; two X-ray spectroheliographs using mechanical collimators for spatial resolution and Ross filters to isolate spectral bands of interest; and a flare polarimeter operating in the 15-40 keV X-ray region. The subsystems may be operated in a number of modes which, when combined with the spacecraft modes, give the instrument great flexibility for making solar observations. Representative results from each of the subsystems are presented.

Underwood, J. H.↗

A search for X-rays from supernova 1972e with Uhuru and OSO-7

The results of observations performed with X-ray detectors aboard OSO-7 and Uhuru at 13 different times ranging from 16 months before to 2 years after Sn 1972e maximum light are reported. Only one possible (3.2 sigma) positive result was found. The absence of any sizable flux contradicts the model of Shklovsky and imposes limitations on the model of Colgate and McKee.

Canizares, C. R.↗

Documentation of the data analysis system for the gamma ray monitor aboard OSO-H

The programming system is presented which was developed to prepare the data from the gamma ray monitor on OSO-7 for scientific analysis. The detector, data, and objectives are described in detail. Programs presented include; FEEDER, PASS-1, CAL1, CAL2, PASS-3, Van Allen Belt Predict Program, Computation Center Plot Routine, and Response Function Programs.

Croteau, S.↗

Analysis of OGO-5 and OSO-7 X-ray data

The physical nature of solar flares implied by the data was studied. The empirical results were obtained primarily from the OGO-5 and OSO-7 X-ray data in combination with optical data. The principal conclusions regarding the physics of flares are the following. (1) Flares are produced by magnetic field reconnection. (2) The resulting thermal X-ray plasma is cooled primarily by heat conduction rather than by radiative cooling. (3) The heating and cooling of the thermal X-ray plasma are approximately in balance during the maximum phase of the flare.

Moore, R. L.↗