A search for counterparts of selected COS-B galactic gamma-ray sources: The X-ray survey and optical identifications

The Einstein X-ray Imaging Instruments have been used to explore, down to an unprecedented sensitivity, the X-ray behavior of 7 high-energy γ-ray sources discovered by the COS-B satellite. 32 low latitude (¦b¦ < 5°) IPC fields, mosaic-arranged to cover the few-square-degrees COS-B error circles, yielded 30 soft X-ray sources, the fluxes of which range from ～ 1/100 to few UFU, and no diffuse features. While the density of ～ 1 source/IPC field is consistent with the value found at higher latitudes, the percentage of ‘stellar’ identifications among these low-latitude sources is significantly higher than in non-galactic-biased samples. Unfortunately, the positional accuracy achieved with the IPC does not allow astronomical identification in the absence of obvious counterpart(s). However, after the exploratory coverage, the IPC data were used, when possible, to point out potentially interesting targets for the HRI instrument capable of an accuracy of ～ 3 arc sec. Due to the misfortunes which occurred to the Einstein satellite, this time-consuming process was feasible only in two cases: within the error circle of 2CG135 + 01, the radio variable star LSI61.303 was pinpointed by the HRI, while the HRI exposure of the brightest X-ray source discovered in 2CG 195 + 04 (Geminga) positioned a source in an empty POSS field. The latter case will be presented and the nature of the X- and γ(?)-ray source briefly discussed.