L. E. Peterson

Observations of solar X-ray bursts in the energy range 5-15 keV

Bursts of solar X-rays in the energy range 5–15 keV are associated with flares and are due to thermal emission from a hot coronal plasma. In this paper we present the results of the first study of a large sample of separate bursts, 197 events associated with subflares and a few importance 1 events. The observations were made by a proportional counter on the satellite OSO-7 from October 1971 to June 1972. In most cases the temperature characterizing the X-ray spectrum rises impulsively at the onset of the burst and then declines slowly throughout the remainder of the burst. The emission measure rises exponentially with a time scale of 30–100 s and then declines slowly, on a time scale of the order of 103 s. From these observations we show that the growth of the thermal energy in the flare plasma throughout the burst can be due to the heating of new cool material.

An upper limit to the anisotropy of solar hard X-ray emission

A statistical study of center-to-limb variations in the frequency of occurrence of solar hard X-ray bursts is used to look for directivity in the emission. The X-ray data consist of 148 bursts observed by the University of California, San Diego, solar X-ray instrument on the OSO-7 satellite. No center-to-limb variation in hard X-ray burst occurrence was found. The upper limit on any limb darkening or limb brightening of 20 keV X-ray emission is 40% at the 95% confidence level. This result rules out downward-streaming thick-target models for the motion of the X-ray emitting electrons. Furthermore, strong east-west streaming is also ruled out when the observed center-to-limb spectral variation is combined with the directivity result. Either the motions of the electrons which emit hard X-rays are predominantly random, or a variety of different emitting-region geometries commonly occur.

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.

Hard X-ray observations of Hercules X-1 by OSO-7.

The X-ray source Her X-1, identified as a pulsating, eclipsing X-ray source, was observed by the UCSD X-ray telescope on the OSO-7 satellite. A three-point spectrum for Her X-1 was determined on the basis of data obtained when the source was in its high-intensity state. Errors in the UCSD result due to uncertainties in the gain and in converting counts per second to photon flux are about 20%.

A search for hard X-rays from five strong extragalactic radio sources

Data from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) hard X-ray instrument on OSO-7 have been used to search the regions containing 3C 390.3, M87, 3C 273, 3C 111, and 3C 129. We have a weak detection of 3C 390.3 and a possible detection of 3C 111. Sensitive upper limits on hard X-rays have been obtained for the other objects. The available observational data indicate a correlation between hard X-ray emission, self-absorbed gigahertz radio emission, and strong optical emission lines in extragalactic sources. Self-Compton X-ray models have been calculated for the sources observed in this paper, and the angular sizes, lifetimes, and B fields in these sources have been estimated. These model calculations agree with existing VLBI and time variability data.

Hard X-ray observations of NGC 4151

The X-ray source 3U 1207 + 39, associated with the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151, has been scanned repeatedly by the UCSD X-ray telescope on board the OSO-7 satellite. A weak source with a hard spectrum has been unambiguously detected in this region in October 1972, and with lesser statistical significance at other times between November 1971 and May 1973. The photon spectrum in the 7-110 keV range is best fitted by a power law of the form dN/dE = 0.012 E to the exponent negative 1.1 photons per sq cm per second per keV, consistent with the Uhuru measurement in the 2-6 keV range. The hard spectrum observed and very short electron lifetimes implied severely constrained nonthermal models for the emission. An extremely hot gas is also consistent with the observations.

Observations of the Circinus X-1 region

The X-ray telescope on board the OSO-7 satellite has provided observations of the Cir X-1 region for over 110 days between December 1971 and March 1973. Although statistically significant fluctuations in the 7- to 11-keV flux were measured, no periodicities in the range between 5 hours and 100 days were found to an upper limit of about 40 percent amplitude. Intensities in the 7- to 57-keV range show variability by a factor of approximately 25 and changes in the spectral shape reflected by a number spectral index varying from about 1.1 to about 3.0. There is a positive correlation between intensity and spectral shape, with a steeper spectrum at times of peak intensity. Although power-law, exponential, and blackbody spectral shapes are equally good fits to these data alone, examination of all the available data appears to rule out a simple blackbody spectrum, at least at times of maximum intensity.

Observations of the 4.8-hour variations of cygnus X-3 above 7 keV from the OSO-7

Results of observations made (during the period from June 30 to July 5, 1972) of Cyg X-3 with the UCSD OSO-7 X-ray telescope in the range from about 7 to 100 keV. The 4.8-hour variation was detected in the 6.6-21.2 keV range, and the ratio of high intensity to mean intensity was 1.52 plus or minus 0.16. In the 21.2-97.8 keV range no 4.8-hour variation in phase with the 6.6-21.2 keV variation could be detected, and the ratio at the phase of high intensity to the mean intensity was 0.6 plus or minus 0.4.

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.