SMM gamma-ray observations of SN 1987A

Conference · Sun Sep 25 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6833922

Matz, S M; Share, G H; Chupp, E L

The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on NASA's Solar Maximum Mission satellite detected gamma-ray line emission from the decay of /sup 56/Co in SN 1987A beginning in 1987 August./sup 1,2/ Balloon-borne experiments have also reported the detection of these lines in 1987 October,/sup 3,4/ December,/sup 5/ and 1988 January,/sup 6/ and excesses consistent with lines in 1987 Novemver./sup 7,8/ Since the initial report we have continued to monitor the emission from the supernova with the GRS, and report here observations through 1988 April 6. The average fluxes for the total observation period (1987 August 1 to 1988 April 6) are (6.6 +- 2.0) x 10/sup -4/ and (6.4 +- 1.7) x 10/sup -4/ photons--cm/sup -2/--s/sup -1/ for the 847 and 1238 keV lines, respectively. The quoted errors represent a combination of statistical and systematic uncertainties. There has been no marked increase in the intensity of either line since the end of October, and the data are consistent with a constant flux since August 1. The best-fit energies for the two lines are 840 +- 6 and 1239 +- 10 keV.

• Research Organization: E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375
• OSTI ID: 6833922
• Report Number(s): CONF-871245-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 170:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640101 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmic Radiation
640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COBALT 56
COBALT ISOTOPES
DATA
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECAY
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GALAXIES
GAMMA SPECTRA
INFORMATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NAI DETECTORS
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOISOTOPES
SATELLITES
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SPECTRA
STARS
SUPERNOVAE
SYNTHESIS
VARIABLE STARS