Upendra D. Desai

Spectral evolution of pulse structures in gamma-ray bursts

The Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) and Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) data from the Solar Maximum Mission satellite have been searched for gamma-ray bursts with sufficient intensities and relatively simple time profiles such that their spectral behavior may be studied on a time scale of about 1 s. Ten such events were observed with the GRS experiment, and four of these were also detected within the HXRBS field of view. Details are presented for two moderately intense bursts with relatively simple structure. The spectral evolutions of the remaining events are summarized briefly. Results suggest a pattern in the spectral evolution within burst pulses: a tendency for the high-energy emission to lead the low-energy emission, in contrast to the correlation of intensity and spectral hardness reported by Golenetskii et al. (1983).

CHARACTERISTICS OF THERMAL ANNEALING OF RADIATION DAMAGE IN MOSFET'S.

The thermal annealing characteristics of radiation damage in p‐channel MOSFETS due to irradiation by 1.5 MeV electrons as a function of time and temperature are presented. Both isothermal and isochronal annealing curves are analyzed and it is found that the activation energy of the annealing processes has a distribution in a range of 1 eV with the peak at about 1 eV. The mechanism of radiation damage and the model of thermal annealing in the MOSFETS are discussed.

SMM hard X-ray observations of the soft gamma-ray repeater 1806-20

Six bursts from the soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) 1806-20 have been recorded with the SMM Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer during a highly active phase in 1983. Rise and decay times of less than 5 ns have been detected. Time profiles of these events indicate low-level emission prior to and after the main peaks. The results suggest that SGRs are distinguished from classical gamma-ray bursts by repetition, softer nonvarying spectra, short durations, simple temporal profiles, and a tendency for source locations to correlate with Population I objects. SGR characteristics differ from those of type I X-ray bursts, but they appear to have similarities with the type II bursts from the Rapid Burster. 19 references.

Constraints on neutron star models of gamma-burst sources from the Einstein observatory

Six Einstein observations of five gamma-ray burst sources are presented and discussed. With one possible exception, no point source was detected in any of the observations. The data are interpreted in the framework of neutron star models for gamma bursters. Upper limits are derived for the surface temperatures of the neutron stars assumed to be responsible for the bursts. It is shown that the lack of soft X-ray emission may impose stringent constraints on accretion rates onto neutron stars.

Gamma-ray burster counterparts: infrared

The discovery of an IR counterpart to a gamma-ray burster (GRB) would be a big step forward in understanding this enigmatic phenomenon. A program of searching for IR emission from the smallest GRB source regions has been initiated. Seven boxes have been searched with ground-based telescopes at a wavelength of 2.2 microns and 23 with the IRAS data base at wavelengths of 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns. No convincing candidates were identified. The most constraining result are for two error boxes where the K-band magnitude are found to be fainter than 19.03. This observation is compared with the flux predicted from either a companion star or an accretion disk. The new IR observations pose serious difficulties for several GRB models. 51 references.

A catalog of gamma-ray bursts with earth crossing times

A catalog of 111 confirmed gamma-ray bursts detected between 1967 July and 1979 June is presented. Both localization information and earth crossing times for the gamma-ray wave fronts are given. Data which have appeared in some previous catalogs have been revised; many previously unpublished events detected by an international network of dedicated deep space and near-earth experiments since 1976 are also presented.

Observation of two gamma-ray bursts by Vela X-ray detectors

Bursts of X-rays coincident in time with two gamma-ray burst events were observed by the 3--12 keV collimated X-ray detectors on the Vela spacecraft. Both of these observations show recurrence on a time scale of hundreds of seconds. For one of these events (GB 7200514) the X-ray detection gives an improved position as well as information on the spectrum late in the outburst. The other event (GB 740723) is of special interest because the source, not previously located, is consistent in direction with the binary pulsar SMC X-1 in the Small Magellanic Cloud; this is the first moderately small error box for a gamma-ray burst to contain a strong X-ray source.

Spectral evolution in gamma-ray bursts

Abstract The Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) and the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on NASAs Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM) have independently monitored cosmic gamma-ray bursts since launch in February 1980. Several bursts with relatively simple pulse structure and sufficient intensity have been analyzed for evidence of spectral variability on timescales shorter than the pulse durations. In many of these bursts we find pulse structures, ranging in duration from 1 to 10 seconds, which exhibit a trend of hard-to-soft spectral evolution. No significant evidence for soft-to-hard evolution has been found, although the possibility of weak, extended low-energy emission is suggested in a few bursts. The HXRBS data above 100 keV and the GRS data above 1 MeV indicate that the spectral evolution generally is not due to time-varying absorption features at energies below 100 keV.

1979 January 13 - An intense gamma-ray burst with a possible associated optical transient

The time history, energy spectra, and precise localization of the intense 1979 January 3 ..gamma..-ray burst, observed by five spacecraft in the interplanetary network, are presented. The time history displays a pulse-afterpulse structure suggestie of periodicity. Fine time resolution spectral analysis shows that a wide varie1ty of models can be used to fit individual spectra, while spectra integrated over longer periods are well fitted by a thermal synchrotron law, making it difficult to identify any specific emission mechanism. The precise localization may be consistent with an archival optical transient having no quiescent counterpart down to 22d mag on recent plates.

Optical search for gamma-ray bursts

Abstract The preliminary results from optical search for light pulses associated with gamma ray bursts by means of the Czechoslovak Fireball Network plate collection at the Ondřejov observatory are given. Optical monitoring represents more than 7700 hours, but no real optical counterpart was found. Problems associated with the optical search for gamma ray bursts are discussed.