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3 keV to 2 MeV observations of four gamma-ray bursts

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/162643· OSTI ID:6055542
Four cataloged ..gamma..-ray bursts that occurred between 1979 March 7 and 1979 July 31 have been observed over the 3-10 keV range by a joint Naval Research Laboratory/Los Alamos experiment on the Air Force P78-1 satellite. The bursts also were well observed above approx.100 keV by members of the interplanetary network. Additionally, the 1979 July 31 event (GB 790731) was observed from 25 keV to 2 MeV by the University of California at Berkeley/Los Alamos experiment on the third International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE 3). In this paper we present hardness ratios, X-ray/..gamma..-ray luminosity ratios, time histories, and the GB 790731 spectrum. The most significant results presented here are summarized in the seven points listed below. The first five of these are derived mainly from our new 3-10 keV data, while points 6 and 7 relate to higher energy work similar to what has been done by others. (1) Gamma-ray bursters can emit fairly strongly at X-ray energies near the time of the ..gamma..-ray burst with L/sub X//L/sub ..gamma../approx.0.02 (L/sub X/*10/sup 37/ ergs s/sup -1/, 3-10 keV, assuming a distance of 1 kpc). (2) The centroid of the X-ray emission generally lags the ..gamma..-ray centroid, but there also is evidence for one or more types of X-ray precursor activity.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory
OSTI ID:
6055542
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 286:2; ISSN ASJOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English