Search

Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the bright supernova remnant Cas A have revealed a hard power law component above 10 keV in addition to two thermal components inferred from ASCA measurements of the many line centroids from low-Z elements. The power law can be shown to be consistent with synchrotron emission from radio to hard x-rays by electrons of up to 4 x 10(exp 13) eV. Measurement of the 1157 keV line by CGRO (Compton Gamma Ray Observatory) from SC-44 in the chain of decay of Ti-44 predicts that the two Ti-44 lines at 68 and 78 keV should appear at the CGRO intensity. RXTE has placed upper limits on such lines that are marginally consistent with the CGRO measurement. Implications of these results on sites for cosmic ray acceleration and nucleosynthesis are discussed.

The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observed three active galaxies during its in-orbit verification phase: NGC 4151; NGC 4945, and MCG 8-11-11. All three were detected from 2 keV to more than 100 keV by a combination of the proportional counter array (PCA) and the high energy X-ray timing experiment (HEXTE). The PCA contains five, xenon/methane, multilayer, multiwire, gas proportional counters covering the 2 to 60 keV range, while HEXTE is an array of eight NaI/CsI phoswich scintillation counters covering the 15 to 250 keV range. The three active galaxies represent the classes of Seyfert 1, Seyfert 2 and intermediate Seyfert galaxies. The results of the fitting of various models containing partial covering fractions, Compton reflection components and high energy spectral breaks are discussed.

The exciting detection by the COMPTEL instrument of the 1157 keV Ti-44 line from the supernova remnant Cas A sets important new constraints on supernova dynamics and nucleosynthesis. The Ti-44 decay also produces x-ray lines at 68 and 78 keV, whose flux should be essentially the same as that of the gamma ray line. The revised COMPTEL flux of 4 x l0(exp -5) cm(exp -2)s(exp -1) is very near the sensitivity limit for line detection by the HEXTE instrument on RXTE. We report on the results from two RXTE observations - 20 ks during In Orbit Checkout in January 1996 and 200 ks in April 1996. We also find a strong continuum emission suggesting cosmic ray electron acceleration in the remnant.

The elements of a high resolution gamma-ray spectrometer, developed for observations of solar flares, are described. Emphasis is given to those aspects of the system that relate to its operation on a long duration balloon platform. The performance of the system observed in its first flight, launched from McMurdo Station, Antarctica on 10 January, 1992, is discussed. Background characteristics of the antarctic balloon environment are compared with those observed in conventional mid-latitude balloon flights and the general advantages of long duration ballooning are discussed.

The HEXTE, part of the X-Ray Timing Explorer (XTE), is designed to make high sensitivity temporal and spectral measurements of X-rays with energies between 15 and 250 keV using NaI/CsI phoswich scintillation counters. To achieve the required sensitivity it is necessary to provide anticoincidence of charged cosmic ray particles incident upon the instrument, some of which interact to produce background X-rays. The proposed cosmic ray particle anticoincidence shield detector for HEXTE uses a novel design based on plastic scintillators and wavelength-shifter bars. It consists of five segments, each with a 7 mm thick plastic scintillator, roughly 50 cm x 50 cm in size, coupled to two wavelength-shifter bars viewed by 1/2 inch photomultiplier tubes. These segments are configured into a five-sided, box-like structure around the main detector system. Results of laboratory testing of a model segment, and calculations of the expected performance of the flight segments and particle anticoincidence detector system are presented to demonstrate that the above anticoincidence detector system satisfies its scientific requirements.

The Galactic center region was observed for 6 hours on May 22, 1989 from a high altitude balloon with the HEXAGONE high resolution gamma-ray spectrometer. The instrument had a 285 sq/cm array of cooled germanium detectors with an energy resolution of 2.2 keV at 511 keV and an 18 deg FWHM field of view. The 511 keV gamma-rays from electron-positron annihilation and 1809 keV gamma-rays from the radioactive decay of Al-26 were observed to have fluxes of 8.9 x 10 exp -4 and 1.9 x 10 exp -4 ph/cm-s, respectively. Continuum emission was detected from 20 to 800 keV and preliminary results have been obtained for the spectrum. Below 120 keV this is well described by power law with a slope of -2.6. In the 120-250 keV band the spectrum contains a broad linelike feature. This is interpreted as the result of Compton backscattering of about 511 keV photons from a compact source of electron-positron annihilation radiation.

Results are reported from observations of the 511 MeV annihilation gamma-ray line from the Galactic center, made on May 22, 1989 with a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer on board a balloon launched from Alice Springs (Australia). The observations were made at about 4 gm/sq cm atmospheric depth for 6 hrs in a series of target and background pointings lasting 20 min each. The results obtained from multiparameter Gaussian fits to the data were as follows: 511 keV flux = 0.00089 + or - 0.00027 ph/sq cm per sec-rad, line width of about 1.1 keV, and less than 3.2 keV FWHM at 95 percent confidence.