14794021
BeppoSAX Observations of GRB 980425: Detection of the Prompt Event and Monitoring of the Error Box
We present BeppoSAX follow-up observations of GRB 980425 obtained with the Narrow Field Instruments (NFI) in 1998 April, May, and November. The first NFI observation has detected within the 8' radius error box of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) an X-ray source positionally consistent with the supernova 1998bw, which exploded within a day of GRB 980425, and a fainter X-ray source, not consistent with the position of the supernova. The former source is detected in the following NFI pointings and exhibits a decline of a factor of 2 in six months. If it is associated with SN 1998bw, this is the first detection of X-ray emission from a Type I supernova above 2 keV. The latter source exhibits only marginally significant variability. The X-ray spectra and variability of the supernova are compared with thermal and nonthermal models of supernova high-energy emission. Based on the BeppoSAX data, it is not possible to establish firmly which of the two detected sources is the GRB X-ray counterpart, although probability considerations favor the supernova.
12042223
THE COMPLEX X-RAY SPECTRUM OF THE LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARY 4U 1626-67
We report on observations of the X-ray pulsar 4U 1626-67 by the LECS instrument on-board Bepposax. We confirm the recent ASCA discovery of excess emission near 1 keV (Angelini et al. 1995). The pulse period of 7.66794 +/- 0.00004 s indicates that the source continues to spin-down. The phase averaged spectrum is well fit by an absorbed power-law of photon index 0.61 +/- 0.02 and a blackbody of temperature 0.33 +/- 0.02 keV, together with an emission feature at 1.05 +/- 0.02 keV. This spectral shape is similar to that observed by ASCA during the spin-down phase, but significantly different from measurements during spin-up. This suggests that the change in spectrum observed by ASCA may be a stable feature during spin-down intervals. The source intensity is a factor ~2 lower than observed by ASCA three years earlier, confirming that 4U 1626-67 continues to become fainter with time.
17797650
Iron line signatures in X-ray afterglows of GRB by BeppoSAX
We report the possible detection (99.3% of sta- tistical signicance) of redshifted Fe iron line emission in the X-ray afterglow of Gamma-ray burst GRB 970508 ob- served by BeppoSAX. Its energy is consistent with the redshift of the putative host galaxy determined from op- tical spectroscopy. In contrast to the fairly clean environ- ment expected in the merging of two neutron stars, the observed line properties would imply that the site of the burst is embedded in a large mass of material (> 0:5M), consistent with pre-explosion ejecta of a very massive star. This material could be related with the outburst observed in the afterglow 1 day after the GRB and with the spectral variations measured during this phase. We did not nd ev- idence of Fe line in two other GRB with known redshift (GRB 971214 and GRB 980613), but we note that the up- per limits are of the same order of the intensity measured in GRB 97508 and that none of these afterglows shows rebursting activity.
7722527
Low-energy line emission from Cygnus X-2 observed by the BeppoSAX LECS
We present a 0.2–10 keV spectrum of the low-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-2 obtained using the Low Energy Concentrator Spectrometer on-board BeppoSAX. The spectrum can be described by a cut-off power-law model with absorption of (2.28±0.07)×1021 atoms cm−2, a power-law index of 0.78±0.02 and a cut-off energy of 4.30±0.08 keV (68% confidence errors), except at energies near ∼1 keV where excess emission is present. This can be modeled by a broad Gaussian line feature with an energy of 1.02±0.04 keV, a full width half-maximum of 0.47±0.07 keV and an equivalent width of 74±1125 eV. This result confirms earlier reports of line emission near 1 keV and shows the intensity and structure of the feature to be variable. For a more detailed account of these observations we refer to Kuulkers et al. [4].
115557306
SLAC Linac Preparations for FACET
The SLAC 3km linear electron accelerator has been cut at the two-thirds point to provide beams to two independent programs. The last third provides the electron beam for the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), leaving the first two-thirds available for FACET, the new experimental facility for accelerator science and test beams. In this paper, we describe this separation and projects to prepare the linac for the FACET experimental program.
17512740
The absorption properties of gamma-ray burst afterglows measured by BeppoSAX
We present an analysis of the X-ray absorption prop- erties of 6 gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows measured with BeppoSAX. Between 8 hrs and 20 hrs after the initial GRB trig- ger, individual spectra can be described by a power-law with a photon index of 2 and absorption, NH, marginally consistent with the galactic value. Taken collectively, the data are incon- sistent with zero NH at the >99.999% confidence level. The data are only marginally consistent with a distribution of col- umn densities varying as the total galactic NH in the direction of each of the bursts ( 2 =9.6 for 6 degrees of freedom). The data are consistent with cosmological models in which GRB oc- cur within host galaxies. By simultaneously fitting a power-law spectral model with NH fixed at the galactic value and additional, redshifted, absorption to all 6 afterglow spectra, the best-fit av-
118987428
Camtrac - A high energy gamma-ray telescope utilizing a coded aperture mask and drift chambers
121784430
Simple technique for determining the mean lifetime of the cosmic ray μ meson
A single scintillation counter is used for determining the lifetime of cosmic ray μ mesons. The experimental arrangement has a greater detection rate and a higher detection efficiency than the conventional multidetector delayed coincidence technique.
121844770
The age distribution of galactic cosmic rays
The general solution for the distribution of ages for primary galactic cosmic rays is given for a class of steady-state, bounded models of cosmic-ray diffusion in the Galaxy. Both one-and threedimensional models are considered, with point sources and distributed sources. In all models, the age distribution, is approximately exponential for ages longer than the average age, although for shorter ages the distribution depends on the details of the model. The leaky-box model, with an exponential age distribution, is thus a good approximation to most diffusive models. It is shown that one-dimensional (‘disk’) models are consistent with both age and anisotropy data for galactic cosmic rays regardless of whether production takes place near the galactic center or throughout the disk.
123383571
The interplanetary transport of solar cosmic rays
Numerical solutions are presented for the propagation of solar cosmic rays in interplanetary space, including the effects of pitch-angle scattering and adiabatic focusing. The intensity-time profiles can be well fitted by a simple radial spatial diffusion equation with scattering mean-free path lambda/sub fit/. The radial mean-free path so obtained is significantly larger than the true scattering mean-free path for low-rigidity particles due to both adiabatic focusing and the inapplicability of the diffusive approximation early in the event. The well-known discrepancy between lambda/sub fit/ and the theoretical predictions may be resolved by these calculations.
117706405
Two-component model for cosmic-ray fluctuations at neutron monitor energies