Distance and spectrum of the Apollo gamma-ray burst

Journal Article · Sat Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157822· OSTI ID:5295543

Gilman, D; Metzger, A E; Parker, R H; Evans, L G; Trombka, J I

The ..gamma..-ray spectrometer on Apollo 16 obtained spectral information with good energy resolution from more than 2500 burst photons in the energy range 0.06--5.16 MeV. The spectrum from 2 keV to 2 MeV, observed at X-ray energies by the Apollo X-ray spectrometer, is fitted by a thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum with kT=500 keV. The success of the fit implies that the source is optically thin, and it follows that it must be closer than 50 pc. Absence of spectral variability suggests that the burst results from isothermal changes in emission measure.

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 5295543
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 236:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
GAMMA SPECTRA
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COMPTON EFFECT
SPECTRAL FUNCTIONS
SPECTROMETERS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
COSMIC RADIATION
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FUNCTIONS
INTERACTIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PRIMARY COSMIC RADIATION
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
640101* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Cosmic Radiation