An imaging telescope for soft gamma-ray astronomy: The preliminary in-flight tests

A large area (6000 cm²) actively shielded low energy gamma-ray telescope is going to be built by an Anglo-Italian collaboration. The telescope, named ZEBRA, will be capable of producing images of the X and gamma ray sky in the energy range 0.015–20 MeV with an intrinsic angular resolution of a few tenths of a degree. A prototype detector has been built in order to experimentally study the main characteristics of the detection plane. The preliminary results obtained during a balloon flight from Trapani, Sicily in July 1981 are presented.     

The position sensitive low energy detector on board the ZEBRA telescope

In order to improve the low energy capability (15 ÷ 150 KeV) of the balloon borne “ZEBRA” low energy gamma imaging telescope (150 KeV-20 MeV), a large area, high spectral resolution (5% at 60 KeV), low background detector has been designed and is now under development.It consists of two MultiWire Spectroscopic Proportional Counter (SPC), escape gated, that have a sensitive area of 6000 cm², and are placed above the large area array of sodiumiodide position sensitive elements.     

Medium energy gamma ray astronomy with transpacific balloon flights

Transpacific balloon flights with the University of California, Riverside (UCR) double scatter telescope are discussed. With flight durations from 5 days up to perhaps 15 days the long observation times necessary for medium energy (1–30 MeV) gamma ray astronomy can be obtained. These flights would be made under the auspices of the Joint U.S.-Japan Balloon Flight Program at NASA. We propose that flights can provide at least 30 hours of observation time per flight for many discrete source candidates and 120 hours for detecting low intensity cosmic gamma ray bursts.     

An imaging telescope for soft gamma ray astronomy

A telescope capable of producing images of the gamma ray sky in the energy range 0.2–20 MeV with an angular resolution of a few tenths of a degree is presented. This capability is achieved by means of a large array of Sodium Iodide position sensitive elements together with a coded imaging mask. The expected performance, derived from calculations and preliminary laboratory tests, is described.     

X射线天文卫星观测需求分析与控制总体设计

对X射线天文卫星观测需求进行了分析，提炼了观测任务对观测模式、源的高精度定位与对准、轨道、热控、测控数传等多项需求与约束；针对X射线观测的多需求、多约束难点，设计了集巡天观测、定点观测与小天区扫描观测于一体的观测模式，解决了一颗卫星同时实现全天扫描、银道面深度扫描、重要惯性区域扫描、重要及机遇目标深度观测以及伽马暴全天监测的多种观测需求的难题，该技术已在我国硬X射线调制望远镜卫星上得到应用.     

A directional gamma-ray telescope using coded aperture techniques

A directional detector for γ-ray astronomy has been developed to image sources in the energy range 0.1 to 5 MeV. An array of 35 gain stabilized bismuth germanate detectors, together with a coded aperture mask based on a Uniformly Redundant Array (URA), allows imaging in 4° square sky bins over a 16° X 24° field-of-view. The position of a strong point source, such as the Crab Nebula, can be determined to within ?1°. A complementary “anti-mask” greatly reduces systematic effects arising from non-uniform background rates amongst the detectors. The telescope has an effective area of 190 cm² and an energy resolution of 19.5% FWHM at 662 keV. Results of laboratory tests of the imaging system, including the ability to image multiple sources, uniformity of response over the field-of-view, and the effect of the “anti-mask”, are in good agreement with computer simulations. Features of the flight detector system are described and results of laboratory tests and computer simulations are reviewed. A balloon flight of the telescope is planned for the fall of 1982.     

Observations of 1–30 MeV gamma rays from the galactic center

Preliminary results are reported for gamma ray observations of the galactic center region made during a 15 hour balloon flight from Alice Springs, Australia on April 18, 1979. The observations were carried out with the UCR double-scatter gamma-ray telescope at energies of 1 to 30 MeV. The observations are compatible with a galactic source of approximately equal brightness along the region 300°<ℓII<60°. The energy distribution joins smoothly to previous spark chamber results at energies above 30 MeV and to scintillator results below 1 MeV. It appears to be a combination of nuclear gamma ray lines superimposed on a bremsstrahlung spectrum with a power law (1.3±.7) × 10⁻³ E⁻(^1.7±.2). The ¹²C* line at 4.4 MeV appears to be present with a significance of about 16σ. The flux in the line is (6±3) × 10⁻⁴photons cm⁻²s⁻¹rad⁻¹. The oxygen line at 6.1 MeV does not seem to appear significantly above background.     

Background-sensitive event selection in the search for gamma-ray sources

Poor angular resolution of present day gamma ray telescopes (1° at 100 MEV) together with the complicated gamma ray sky structures at compareable angular extents and poor statistics available necessitate the selection of those gammas which will increase the observable signal from a suspected source. A method for such a selection using the pre-known time signature of the source as its signal, has been developed (Özel and Mayer-Haβelwander, 1983). In an iterative procedure based on the improvement of source signal, generalized zones around the source are defined, from which gamma rays should be accepted to construct the optimum light curve of the source. These zones depend on the energy of the probed gamma rays, on the spatial structure and intensity of the background around the source, on the (estimated and/or tentative) intetnsity of the source and finally on the observing instrument's angular and energy response functions. The method, when applied to simulated and observed COS-B data demonstrated its feasibility and merits over the previonsly used circular event-acceptance cones method which was the basis of searches for gamma ray emission from radio pulsars (see for example Kniffen et al., 1974; Ögelman, et al. 1976; Kanbach, et al., 1977; and references therein). Present method does not introduce “trials” which usually reduce the significance of the results obtained, fully accounts the available knowledge on the topography of gamma ray sky, makes use of all the information about the sky, source and the instrument and therefore is the proper way of handling gamma ray data in pulsar-type searches.Presently, method is applied in the analyses of COS-B data in the context of searches for gamma ray emitting X-ray and radio pulsars. Results will be published elsewhere.     

SIGMA observations of two new hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray transients: GX 354-0 and Nova Persei

We report the first detection of two soft gamma ray transients GX 354-0 and Nova Persei (GRO J0422+32) by the coded-mask telescope SIGMA. Only preliminary results are presented with regard to Nova Persei while special emphasis is given to the data on GX 354-0 which has been monitored during the 1992 February–April survey of the Galactic Center. GX 354-0 underwent two flares of about two week duration and its average spectrum is well described by a thermal Bremsstrahlung model or a broken power law whereas the Nova Persei spectrum seems to be similar to the one observed for GRS 1124-684 in Musca.     

Multiple Coulomb scattering method to reconstruct low-energy gamma–ray direction in the GAMMA-400 space-based gamma–ray telescope

The GAMMA-400 currently developing space-based gamma-ray telescope is designed to measure the gamma-ray fluxes in the energy range from ～20?MeV to several TeV in the highly elliptic orbit (without shadowing the telescope by the Earth) continuously for a long time. The physical characteristics of the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope, especially the angular and energy resolutions (at 100-GeV gamma rays they are ～0.01° and ～1%, respectively), allow us to consider this space-based experiment as the next step in the development of extraterrestrial high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. In this paper, a method to improve the reconstruction accuracy of incident angle for low-energy gamma rays in the GAMMA-400 space-based gamma-ray telescope is presented. The special analysis of topology of pair-conversion events in thin layers of converter was performed. Applying the energy dependence of multiple Coulomb scattering for pair components, it is possible to estimate the energies for each particle, and to use these energies as weight in the angle reconstruction procedure. To identify the unique track in each projection the imaginary curvature method is applied. It allows us to obtain significantly better angular resolution in comparison with other methods applied in current space-based experiments. When using this method for 50-MeV gamma rays the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope angular resolution is about 4°.     

Simulation experiments of the cosmic ray isotope telescope on ETS VI

A computer simulation was carried out to evaluate the basic characteristics of a Δ E×E cosmic ray telescope consisting of 23 solid state detectors including 3 position sensitive detectors with large effective area. Based on the simulation, the geometric factor of the telescope is deduced to be as large as 22.5 cm²sr, almost independent of charge and energy concerned. The energy ranges to be covered by the telescope are, for example, 18–98 MeV/n for Li and 56–339 MeV/n for Fe. By analyzing simulated data, the mass resolution for iron in the overall energy range covered by the telescope is estimated as about 0.22 amu in standard deviation. The expected counting rates and mass-histograms are simulated for Galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles.     

Optical search for gamma-ray bursts

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.     

南极中山站宇宙线观测

2014年由两个具有0.5m×0.5m闪烁体面积的探测器组成的宇宙线μ子望远镜在南极中山站建成,观测数据通过卫星链路传回并发布.通过对中山站μ子望远镜数据的气象效应分析,发现中山站的气压变化对宇宙线计数率影响显著并呈负相关.计算得到宇宙线高能质子在中山站的垂直截止刚度R_C为0.076GV,对比中国西藏羊八井和北京高能质子的垂直截止刚度,中山站非常有利于对太阳高能质子事件的观测.      

Relationships between neutron fluxes and rain flows

Registration of secondary cosmic ray neutrons is a convenient tool for investigation of primary cosmic ray variations and meteorological effects as well. At present a large network of neutron monitors exists, providing the studies of cosmic ray variations related to the interplanetary conditions and geomagnetic activity. At the same time cosmic ray variations may be caused by some atmospheric processes. In this connection, using the data from standard and lead-free neutron monitors, and gamma and muon detectors, we studied relations between rain flows and neutron, gamma and ionization component behavior. To explain observable results the calculations of neutron and gamma absorption and albedo neutron spectra have been performed on the basis of universal software package FLUKA-2006. In this study we used hourly data on the neutron flux, corrected for barometric pressure and data from local meteorological stations. It was shown that secondary neutron radiation, recorded by lead-free NM, and gamma radiation as well are strongly effected by meteorological factors. The neutron component behavior depends on the moisture content in the soil, and above its surface.     

Cosmic ray studies at Moussala – Past,present and future

We review the main activities carried out at Moussala peak (2925 m above sea level, 42°11′N, 23°35′E) station in Bulgaria, connected with cosmic ray investigations during the last five decades. Several important results obtained at the station are reported. The detector design and corresponding methodological studies of the presently operational devices are shown as well, precisely the Cherenkov light telescope, lead free neutron monitor and muon telescope. The scientific potential of the existing complex is discussed.     

Energy spectra of high energy electrons and hard X-rays as observed onboard the space probe Venera 11 during the solar flare event of April 13 1979

The event was observed onboard the space probe Venera 11 at a heliolongitude close to 57°. Electron spectra in the energy range from 60 to 2100 keV are determined and compared with X ray spectra. As a result it was found that conditions of the “thin target” model were realized in the April 13, 1979 flare. Estimates of the total number of accelerated electrons and the energy of the flare are presented.     

Photometric calibration and first results obtained with the UFT experiment on board the astron satellite

The UV telescope of 30 cm diameter equipped with a three channel scanner spectrometer aboard the highly eccentric orbit space station “ASTRON” is describedAbsolute calibration of the whole device is performed using spectra of standard stars, of which absolute values were obtained by TDI or IUE experiments. Several photometric controls have been made on the stability of the equipment after one year of operation which demonstrate reliability of some first results obtained by the UFT.The sensitivity curve of the spectrophotometric system has been observed with a reproducibility of 2σ = 10% or better.The repeated observation of one star (139 Tau) indicates that the overall performance exhibits the same quality after one year in orbit. The low resolution mode ($\text{Δ λ = 28}\text{A}\text{?}$) leads to a powerful new investigation of faint extended sources.     

Hard X-ray observations of Cygnus X-1 with the MISO telescope

The black hole candidate Cygnus X-1 was observed in the hard X ray - soft γ ray energy range by the MISO telescope on two different occasions: in September 1979 and May 1980. We have measured two hard X-ray states of the source: in 1979 the observed spectrum confirms the superlow state measured in the same period by the HEAO-3 satellite, while in 1980 the MISO X-ray data are consistent with the so called low state of Cygnus X-1. In both occasions, no γ -ray excess has been observed above 200 KeV.     

Hard X-ray observation of galactic X-ray sources

A large (1455 cm²) hard X-ray telescope was successfully launched aboard a stratospheric balloon on October 4, 1980. During this flight four galactic X-ray sources were observed, namely the transient recurrent X-ray pulsar A0535+26, the Crab Nebula, Cygnus X-1 and X Persei. Here we report the results on the latter two sources. From Cygnus X-1 we measured a photon flux in the band 30 to 200 keV, of 3.5 × 10^?2 photons cm^?2 which is 6.5 times lower than that recieved from the source in a “low” intensity state in the same energy band. In addition, the photon spectrum in the same energy band was very soft and consistent with a power law with photon index α = 2.71 ± 0.14. Even if a simultaneous observation of the source at lower energies was not available, our data strongly suggest that we observed the source during a “high” intensity state. We report also positive detection in the band 30 to 200 keV of the low luminosity X-ray pulsar X Persei. In its spectrum we confirm the presence of a hard X-ray tail consistent with a power law (photon index α = 2.17 ± 0.42).     

Recent balloon flight results concerning the galactic center 511 keV line

Results of three new balloon flights have recently become available concerning the galactic center electron-positron annihilation line at 511 keV. The groups involved were the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hamsphire; NASA Goddard Center for Nuclear Studies, USA; CEN Saclay, Gif Sur Yvette, France; and Bell Laboratories/Sandia Laboratories, USA. In these flights a “low” or “off” state was observed in the fall of 1981. Also, new evidence for a low energy “positronium” — like tail on the line has been obtained from a 1977 flight. These results are reviewed.