Search

Context. The optical light curve of Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) is powered by thermalized gamma-rays produced by the decay of 56Ni and 56Co, the main radioactive isotopes synthesized by the thermonuclear explosion of a C/O white dwarf. Aims: Gamma-rays escaping the ejecta can be used as a diagnostic tool for studying the characteristics of the explosion. In particular, it is expected that the analysis of the early gamma emission, near the maximum of the optical light curve, could provide information about the distribution of the radioactive elements in the debris. Methods: The gamma data obtained from SN2014J in M 82 by the instruments on board INTEGRAL were analysed paying special attention to the effect that the detailed spectral response has on the measurements of the intensity of the lines. Results: The 158 keV emission of 56Ni has been detected in SN2014J at ~5σ at low energy with both ISGRI and SPI around the maximum of the optical light curve. After correcting the spectral response of the detector, the fluxes in the lines suggest that, in addition to the bulk of radioactive elements buried in the central layers of the debris, there is a plume of 56Ni, with a significance of ~3σ, moving at high velocity and receding from the observer. The mass of the plume is in the range of ~0.03-0.08 Msun. Conclusions: No SNIa explosion model has ever predicted the mass and geometrical distribution of 56Ni suggested here. According to its optical properties, SN2014J looks like a normal SNIa, so it is extremely important to discern whether it is also representative in the gamma-ray band. Based on observations with INTEGRAL, an ESA project with instruments and the science data centre funded by ESA member states (especially the PI countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain), the Czech Republic, and Poland and with the participation of Russia and USA.

We present results of the analysis of 1.275 MeV γ-ray line global distribution derived from the all-sky data accumulated by COMPTEL on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) from 1991 to 1997. Previously the 1.275 MeV γ-ray line was believed to be largely produced in the decay of radioactive isotope 22 Na that is synthesised in the classical nova (CN) thermonuclear runaway (TNR). Another way to produce the 1.275 MeV line emission is via the excitation of 22 Ne-nuclei, e.g. through the low-energy cosmic ray interactions with the nuclei of the interstellar matter that lead to the production of 22 Ne*, or of 22 Na. This scenario, as we now believe, can be dominant in contributing to the total 1.275 MeV γ-ray line emission from the galactic bulge. Unfortunately, systematic uncertainties in the analysis of the COMPTEL data hinder a clear distinction between two alternative scenarios.

It is believed that core-collapse supernovae (CCSN), occurring at a rate about once per century, have seeded the interstellar medium with long-lived radioisotopes such as 60Fe (half-life 1.5 Myr), which can be detected by the gamma rays emitted when they beta-decay. Here we report the detection of the 60Fe decay lines at 1173 keV and 1333 keV with fluxes 3.7 +/- 1.1 x 10(-5) ph cm(-2) s(-1) per line, in spectra taken by the SPI spectrometer on board INTEGRAL during its first year. The same analysis applied to the 1809 keV line of 26Al yielded a line flux ratio 60Fe/26Al = 0.11 +/- 0.03. This supports the hypothesis that there is an extra source of 26Al in addition to CCSN.

Supernova 1998bu in the galaxy M96 was observed by COMPTEL for a total of 88 days starting 17 days after the explosion. We searched for a signal in the 847 keV and 1238 keV lines of radioactive 56Co from this type Ia supernova. Using several different analysis methods, we did not detect SN1998bu. Our measurements should have been sensitive enough to detect 60Co gamma-rays as predicted from supernova models. Our 2-sigma flux limit is 2.3 10^{-5} photons cm^{-2} s^{-1}; this would correspond to 0.35 solar mass of ejected 56Ni, if SN1998bu were at a distance of 11.3 Mpc and transparent to MeV gamma rays for the period of our measurements. We discuss our measurements in the context of common supernova models, and conclude disfavoring a supernova event with large mixing and major parts of the freshly-generated radioactivity in outer layers.

The spectrometer SPI aboard the ESA INTEGRAL satellite, which will be launched in 2002, will study the gamma ray sky in the 20-keV to 8-MeV energy band. It achieves the excellent spectral resolution of about 2 keV for photons of 1 MeV thanks to its 19 germanium detectors. A coded mask imaging technique provides an angular resolution of 2/spl deg/. An active BGO veto shield is used for the definition of the field of view and for background rejection. After integration and testing at CNES in Toulouse, the flight model of SPI recently underwent a one-month prelaunch calibration at the CEA center of Bruyeres le Chatel, using an accelerator for homogeneity measurements and high-activity radioactive sources for imaging performance measurements. This paper presents the scientific goals and the different detector components of SPI and reports on the testing and calibration campaigns. The methods used to achieve good timing alignment using the digital front end electronics are described and the first detector performance and imaging capabilities are presented.

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) completed a full sky survey in November 1993 during which the number of known gamma-ray pulsars more than doubled. During this survey the Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) observed the classical isolated pulsars Crab and Vela and detected PSR 1509-58. Attempts to detect the newly discovered pulsars, Geminga, PSR 1706-44 and PSR 1055-52, in the COMPTEL energy range provide only upper limits. The results of these analyses are presented together with the outcome of a search for further candidate radio pulsars whose ephemerides are given in the Princeton Pulsar Catalogue.

The sky region containing the active radio-galaxy Centaurus A has repeatedly been observed with the (COMPTEL) instrument onboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). The nine observation periods during the CGRO phases I and II in which Cen A was in the field of view of COMPTEL are spread over 18 months in the years 1991 to 1993. The energy range 0.75 to 30 MeV is covered. Clear evidence for a source with emission up to several MeV is seen from a region coinciding with the position of Cen A. The spectra change significantly over approximately 6 months between the two observation phases. A possible source confusion with the nearby gamma-ray source MS1312.1-4221 is discussed.

During the first part of the COMPTON Gamma Ray Observatory sky survey, COMPTEL has detected the quasars 3C273 and 3C279 and the radio galaxy Centaurus A. This paper summarizes the preliminary findings and gives an upper limit on the MeV flux of the Seyfert galaxy NGC4151.

Summary.Pulsar measurements performed by the experiment COMPTEL, aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, are described. The main results refer to the Crab and Vela pulsars whose pulse shape characteristics are given in some detail and light curves are compared with those above 50 MeV, as observed by the COS-B satellite. No other gamma-ray pulsars have been detected to date by COMPTEL, the upper limit on the pulsed signal from Geminga being compatible with indications by other experiments.

The COMPTEL experiment on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory is designed to image celestial gamma radiation in the energy range from 0.75–30 MeV within a field of view of 1 steradian. It can locate stronger point sources with an accuracy better than 0.5° and is capable of mapping diffuse emission as well. The Galactic-center region was observed by COMPTEL for several 2-week periods in 1991/1992. These observations show evidence for 1.8 MeV line emission along the Galactic disk (attributed to radioactive 26 Al), extending over at least 40 degrees in longitude.

The Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) will significantly augment the science return from the Fermi Observatory in the study of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The primary objective of GBM is to extend the energy range over which bursts are observed downward from the energy range of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on Fermi into the hard X-ray range where extensive previous data exist. A secondary objective is to compute burst locations on-board to allow re-orientiong the spacecraft so that the LAT can observe delayed emission from bright bursts. GBM uses an array of twelve sodium iodide scintillators and two bismuth germanate scintillators to detect gamma rays from ~8 keV to ~40 MeV over the full unocculted sky. The on-board trigger threshold is ~0.7 photons/cm2/s (50-300 keV, 1 s peak). GBM generates on-board triggers for ~250 GRBs per year., 36 pages, 18 figures, to be published in Astrophysical Journal

The Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), scheduled for launch in 2006, comprises a Large Area Telescope (LAT) and a GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM). The LAT is a pair telescope with unprecedented sensitivity in the 20 MeV to 300 GeV energy range. The GLAST Burst Monitor consists of an array of NaI and BGO scintillation detectors operating in the 10 keV to 25 MeV range and covering a wide field of view. The GBM will enhance LAT observations of GRBs by extending the spectral coverage into the range of current GRB databases, and will provide a trigger for repointing the spacecraft to observe delayed emission from bursts outside the LAT field of view.

We present the analysis of the first observations of the Cygnus region by the SPI spectrometer onboard the Integral Gamma Ray Observatory, encompassing ${\sim}$ 600 ks of data. Three sources namely Cyg X-1, Cyg X-3 and EXO 2030+375 were clearly detected. Our data illustrate the temporal variability of Cyg X-1 in the energy range from 20 keV to 300 keV. The spectral analysis shows a remarkable stability of the Cyg X-1 spectra when averaged over one day timescale. The other goal of these observations is SPI inflight calibration and performance verification. The latest objective has been achieved as demonstrated by the results presented in this paper., Comment: 6 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A (special INTEGRAL volume)

The COMPTEL telescope on board the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) is capable of imaging γ-ray line sources, like classical novae, in the MeV regime at a level of sensitivity up to a few 10−5 photons cm−2s−1. At this level of sensitivity quite high expectations can be placed on the detection of the predicted 22Na γ-ray line at 1.275 MeV from nearby novae. Unfortunately, no positive detection of the nova-produced 22Na was reported until recently. We have used COMPTEL data collected up to the 2nd CGRO reboost to assess (1)—sodium production by individual novae, and (2)—the Galactic distribution of the nova-produced 22Na.

Limitations in COMPTEL 44Ti line searches arise from uncertainties in different background modelling techniques, and in different event selection criteria to suppress a large part of the background. Therefore, the significance of the reported detections of Cas A and RX J0852-4622/GRO J0852-4642 have been reassessed in great detail.

We report a refined analysis of the cosmic diffuse gamma-ray background (hereafter CDG) in the energy range 0.8–30 MeV with the Compton telescope COMPTEL onboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. We have identified all major instrumental-background lines, included the results of a detailed study of the instantaneous instrumental continuum-background characteristics, and used all available COMPTEL data at high galactic latitudes. The new “whole-sky” average CDG spectrum again shows no evidence for an MeV-bump, merges smoothly with the spectra at higher and lower energies, and is consistent with a transition from a softer to a harder component around a few MeV. This spectrum is consistent with previous COMPTEL results. In addition, comparison of the CDG intensity from various regions of the sky allows us to place limits on the large-scale anisotropy of the CDG in selected energy bands. Upper limits on the relative deviations from isotropy consistent with the data at the 95% confidence limit range from about 24% to about 45% on scales of a few steradian.

The type Ia supernova SN 1998bu in M96 was observed by COMPTEL for a total of 88 days starting 17 days after the detection of the SN. A special mode improving the low-energy sensitivity was invoked. We obtained images in the 847 keV and 1238 keV lines of 56Co using an improved point-spread function for the low-energies. We do not detect SN1998bu. Sensitive upper limits at both energies constrain the standard supernova model for this event.

Using the COMPTEL data of the first 5 years of the CGRO mission we have derived the average pulsed spectrum of the Crab Pulsar, as well as phase-resolved spectra of the pulsed emission of the Crab Pulsar. The spectra in the COMPTEL energy range (0.75 to 30 MeV) are compared to those in the neighboring energy bands. The pulsed flux has been examined for its stability. Pulsed lightcurves have been derived for different energy intervals. Preliminary results of this analysis are presented.

During the CGRO observations in the years 1991 to 1995, the region on the sky including the active radio galaxy Centaurus A, was in the wide field-of-view of COMPTEL and EGRET in 15 pointings of various durations. During some of these pointings, also OSSE made simultaneous observations of Cen A. BATSE, the fourth instrument on CGRO, continuously monitors this source. The analysis of the COMPTEL data obtained during these 15 pointings shows emission consistent with the position of Cen A, and spectra in two different emission states have been measured. The COMPTEL spectra in the energy range 0.75–30 MeV are consistent with the published Centaurus A spectra in the energy range 0.05–4 MeV from the OSSE instrument. For the higher emission state, a moderate steepening of the spectrum above 30 MeV is required to fit the EGRET data point. Thus, a spectrum of Cen A over 4 decades of energy is available for theoretical interpretation.

The detection of 56Co emission from SN 1991T has been previously reported at a level near the COMPTEL sensitivity threshold. The spectral analysis method, fitting the count spectrum to a background model plus a 56Co emission template, is subject to possible systematic effects which had not been thoroughly studied at that time. To better evaluate the significance of that ∼3.3σ detection, the same method has been applied to a grid of points with 5° spacing, out to 35° from the pointing direction, in each of 103 observing periods from phases 1 through 3. A dozen instances were found with a 56Co signal as significant as that for either of the two observations of SN 1991T alone (∼2σ). Nothing was found as significant as the combined observations of SN 1991T. The strongest instrumental background artifact in the vicinity of the two principal 56Co lines, attributed to 27Mg, falls between the 56Co lines. It fills in the valley between those lines, and so will obscure real 56Co emission rather than producing false...

On Aug. 5, 1992 BATSE discovered the bright X‐ray transient GRO J0422+32, also known as Nova Per 1992. The COMPTEL instrument (0.75–30 MeV) aboard CGRO observed this black‐hole candidate twice. During the first observation, which started when the X‐ray flux was at its maximum, GRO J0422+32 was detected up to 2 MeV. The fluxes in the 0.75–1 and 1–2 MeV range were signficantly higher than expected based on an extrapolation of the contemporaneous OSSE data. The COMPTEL spectral points can be interpreted as evidence for a Wien‐type spectral component with temperature kT≊300 keV. During the second observation, 3 weeks after the first, GRO J0422+32 was detected only up to 1 MeV.

The imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) is sensitive in the energy range of 0.75 to 30 MeV. COMPTEL observed the Crab several times during the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) sky survey and CGRO Phase II. Both the Crab pulsar and nebula are detected over the entire COMPTEL energy range. The phase-averaged energy spectra of the Crab Pulsar and Nebula are presented. The combined observations provide sufficient statistics for a phase-resolved analysis of the Crab pulsar spectrum.

COMPTEL, the imaging gamma‐ray telescope, capable of detecting gamma rays in the range of 0.1–30 MeV, is one of four instruments aboard NASA’s Compton Gamma‐Ray Observatory. The Comptel burst detectors (single Defector Mode) have a field of view of ∼2.5 π sr. These detectors of COMPTEL permit measurements of energy spectra and time histories of solar flare gamma‐ray emission. A search through the Single Detector Mode’s data is being conducted. We summarize the preliminary results of this search.

During Phase I and Phase II of the CGRO‐mission, the quasar PKS 0528+134 was in the field of view of the COMPTEL instrument during several viewing periods. The quasar was detected by COMPTEL mainly at energies above 10 MeV. Below 10 MeV there is evidence for the source during some CGRO viewing periods, while below 3 MeV no signal is detected. The detections and non‐detections during different viewing periods follow the trend seen by EGRET, thereby indicating a time‐variable MEV‐flux of the quasar. The COMPTEL spectral results together with the simultaneously measured EGRET spectrum, indicate a spectral break in the upper part of the COMPTEL energy range at energies between 10 MeV and 30 MeV.

The highly variable and non‐thermal radio source GT 0236+610 exhibits outbursts with a period of 26.496 days, modulated by a four‐year period. Recent EGRET observations confirmed that this source is the counterpart of the COS‐B source 2CG 135+01.COMPTEL observed this source during three observations in Phase I. We report here on the detections in each of the observations, the time‐averaged spectrum, and address the question of time variability with respect to the radio phase.

The COMPTEL experiment on GRO images 0.75–30 MeV celestial gamma‐radiation that falls within its 1 steradian field of view. During observation 12 (primary target Cen A) in October 1991 the sun had been in the fov and several solar flares associated with the active region 6891 had been observed. Time profile and energy spectra had been produced, using COMPTEL’s primary mode of operation (the telescope mode). Additionally the number of counts received in the D2‐single burst detector (the secondary mode of operation) are given. We summarize the preliminary results on all of these flares.

COMPTEL has detected γ‐ray emission from the Orion complex in the 3–7 MeV range, which can be identified with the 4.44 MeV and 6.13 MeV nuclear de‐excitation lines of 12C* and 16O*, respectively. These are predicted to be the strongest γ‐ray lines originating from the interaction of energetic particles with ambient matter, but the observed flux of (1.0±0.15)×10−4 photon cm−2 s−1 (3–7 MeV) is much larger than anticipated. There is circumstantial evidence that this should be attributed to strongly enhanced abundances of C and O in low‐energy cosmic rays (∼10 MeV/nucleon), rather than high fluxes of cosmic‐ray protons and α‐particles. The positrons resulting from energetic particle interactions in the Orion region should produce 511 keV annihilation radiation that is detectable by OSSE.

The imaging Compton telescope COMPTEL on the Compton observatory CGRO measures γ‐rays in the energy range 0.7–30 MeV with an energy resolution of 9.7% FWHM at 1 MeV. From June 15 to 28 and again from October 3 to 17, 1991 the region containing the supernova SN 1991T was observed. A search for γ‐ray line emission from the supernova was performed. No line emission was detected. Upper limits for the two predicted lines at 847 keV and at 1.238 MeV could be derived. These limits were compared with the predictions of several theoretical models. Two of the models predict flux levels just above our upper limits.

The COMPTEL experiment on the Compton Gamma‐Ray Observatory (CGRO) is designed to image celestial gamma radiation in the energy range from 0.75 to 30 MeV within a field of view of 1 steradian. It can locate strong point sources with an accuracy better than 1° and is capable of mapping diffuse emission at the same time. The Galactic plane was observed by CGRO for several periods in 1991 and 1992. Emission in the 1.8 MeV line (attributed to radioactive 26Al) along the Galactic disc is observed towards the Galactic center region. In addition, the observations away from the central region of the Galaxy reveal evidence for 1.8 MeV emission. These preliminary results provide new data for determination of the 26Al source origin: detailed mapping in the Galactic‐center region may be supplemented by study of other less distant nucleosynthesis regions, such as the Vela region and Carina arm.

The imaging Compton telescope COMPTEL is one of the four instruments on board the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO), which was launched on 1991 April 5 by the space shuttle Atlantis into an Earth orbit of 450 km altitude. COMPTEL is exploring the 1-30 MeV energy range with an angular resolution (1σ) between 1° and 2° within a large field of view of about 1 steradian. Its energy resolution (8.8% FWHM at 1.27 MeV) makes it a powerful gamma-ray line spectrometer. Its effective area (for on-axis incidence) varies between 10 and 50 cm 2 depending on energy and event selections. Within a 14 day observation period COMPTEL is able to detect sources which are about 20 times weaker than the Crab. The measurement principle of COMPTEL also allows the measurements of solar neutrons

The COMPTEL data (∼0.7–30 MeV) were searched for emission from AGN. Four sources have been detected so far: the quasars 3C 273, 3C 279, PKS 0528+134, and the radio galaxy Centaurus A. 3C 273 and 3C 279 were detected in CGRO observation period 3 with quite different spectral shapes. There is also evidence for 3C 273 at a weak flux level in observation period 11. The quasar PKS 0528+134 was detected above 3 MeV as part of a search for AGN already observed by EGRET. Cen A was seen up to 3 MeV by combining data from different observation periods.

The imaging Compton telescope COMPTEL on the Gamma Ray Observatory has unusual spectroscopic capabilities for measuring solar γ-ray and neutron emissions. Flares can be observed above the 800 keV γ-ray threshold of the telescope. The telescope energy range extends to 30 MeV with high time resolution burst spectra available from 0.1 to 10 MeV. Strong Compton tail suppression facilitates improved spectral analysis of solar flare γ-ray emissions. In addition, the high signal-to-noise ratio for neutron detection and measurement provides new neutron spectroscopic capabilities. For example, a flare similar to that of 1982 June 3 will yield spectroscopic data on > 1500 individual neutrons, enough to construct an unambiguous spectrum in the energy range of 20 to 150 MeV. Details of the instrument response to solar γ-rays and neutrons are presented.

The imaging Compton telescope COMPTEL is one of the four instruments onboard NASA’s Gamma Ray Observatory GRO which is to be launched in April 1991 by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. COMPTEL will explore the 1 to 30 MeV energy range with an angular resolution of a few degrees within a large field-of-view of about 1 steradian. Its medium energy resolution (8.8% FWHM at 1.27 MeV) in addition makes it to a powerful gamma-ray line spectrometer. Within a 2-weeks observation period COMPTEL will be able to detect sources which are about 20-times weaker than the Crab. With these properties COMPTEL is well suited to perform the first complete sky survey at MeV-energies. Targets of special interest are galactic gamma ray sources (like radio pulsars, X-ray binaries, the Galactic Center, the unidentified COS-B sources, supernova remnants and molecular clouds), external galaxies (especially the nuclei of active galaxies), gamma-ray line sources (e.g. the distribution of the 1.8 MeV line emissivity throughout the Galaxy), the diffuse gamma-ray emission from interstellar space, the cosmic gamma-ray background, cosmic gamma-ray bursts, and gamma-ray and neutron emission during solar flares.

The COMVIEL telescope onboard the NASA Gamma Ray Observatory is an instrument with imaging properties quite different from telescopes at longer wavelengths: Focusing of the incoming radiation is impossible due to the penetrating power of the gamma ray photons, the photons rather interact with the electrons and nuclei of the detector material in a particle-like manner. This affects the way the response of the instrument is described, determined, and used. The instrument consists of 2 planes of detector modules, which measure a photon via two consecutive interactions of probabilistic nature: a Compton scatter in the upper detector plane (’D1’), and an absorption in the lower detector plane (’D2’) (see figure 1). The active scintillation detectors are surrounded by plastic anticoincidence detector domes to reject events originating from charged particles. Background events are suppressed by measurement of the pulse shape of the scintillation light flash in the upper detectors, and by measurement of the time of flight of the scattered photon from upper to lower detector plane.

On 1993 January 31 at 1857:12 Universal Time (UT), the Imaging Compton Telescope COMPTEL onboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) detected the cosmic gamma-ray burst GRB 930131. COMPTEL's MeV imaging capability was employed to locate the source to better than 2 deg (1 sigma error radius) within 7 hr of the event, initiating a world-wide search for an optical and radio counterpart. The maximum likelihood position of the burst from the COMPTEL data is alpha(sub 2000) = 12h 18m, delta(sub 2000) = -9 deg 42 min, consistent with independent CGRO-Burst and Transient Source Experiment (CGRO-BATSE) and Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) locations as well as with the triangulation annulus constructed using BATSE and Ulysses timing data. The combined COMPTEL and EGRET burst data yield a better estimate of the burst location: alpha(sub 2000) = 12h 18m and delta(sub 2000) = -10 deg 21 min, with a 1 sigma error radius of 32 min. In COMPTEL's energy range, this burst was short, consisting of two separate spikes occurring within a approximately 1 s interval with a low intensity tail for approximately 1 s after the second spike. No statistically significant flux is present for a 30 s period after the main part of the burst. This is consistent with the EGRET data. The COMPTEL telescope events indicate a hard, power-law emission extending to beyond 10 MeV with a spectral index of -1.8 +/- 0.4. The rapid fluctuations and high intensities of the gamma-ray flux greater than 10 MeV place the burst object no farther than 250 pc if the burst emission is not beamed.

The relationship between flux in the 847 keV line and optical (B) magnitude is examined for the two Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed so far in the γ-ray domain. This type of analysis allows us to discriminate between possible models for a given SN Ia event. In the case of SN 1991T in NGC 4527, in view of the constraints provided by CGRO on the flux of the 847 keV line and the B-magnitude of the supernova at the phase of the gamma-ray observation it is possible to discard many of the SN Ia models so far proposed. Models giving rise to a γ-ray escape fraction larger than 80% at 70-80 days after explosion do not fall within the validity region of the 847 keV flux-mg diagram

The imaging gamma-ray telescope COMPTEL, capable of detecting gamma rays in the 1 to 30 MeV range, is one of four experiments onboard NASA's Gamma-Ray Observatory GRO. Besides its primary objectives COMPTEL will contribute to the understanding of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. Summarising, COMPTEL localises bursts (S (E > 1 MeV) ≥ 2.10 −6 erg/cm 2 ) within 1 sr FOV to better than 1° at medium gamma-ray energies, measures continuum energy spectra in the range 0.1 MeV to 20 MeV with fluence S ≥ 6.9 10 −7 erg/cm 2 (5 σ , E≥100 keV), measures gamma-ray lines with detector resolution 9.6% (at 0.5 MeV) and 7.0% (at 1.5 MeV) and determines time histories of both gamma-ray line and continuum emission with t ≥ 0.1 sec resolution.

The contribution of normal spiral galaxies to the high galactic latitude gamma-ray background >100 MeV is examined in the light of the estimates of its flux from the SAS-II measurements. The gamma-ray luminosity of each object is inferred from the known Milky Way value normalized to the corresponding optical quantity. Several possibilities are considered for the responsible physical production mechanism both diffuse and localized; they are then set to evolve with the galactic age according to three well-known evolutionary models. A final space-time integration leads to results which are expressed in the same unit as the measured background. It is seen that the model presented here can play an important role in the region > 100 MeV where the information on the spectral shape of the radiation is still very poor. Experimental tests for future gamma-ray observations are presented.

LOCALISED γ-ray sources contribute to the overall galactic emission; some of these sources have been identified with known astronomical objects1,2, while several unidentified γ-ray sources have also been reported3,4. We describe here a search for γ-ray sources using data from the ESA γ-ray satellite COS B which revealed 10 new unidentified sources. These sources seem to be galactic with typical γ-ray luminosities above 100 MeV in excess of 1035 erg s−1.

DURING the past two years results from two different balloon experiments1,2 indicate that the γ-ray emission from the Crab Nebula between 1 and 10 MeV is considerably above the straight line interpolation from lower and higher photon energies. The excess above the power law has been claimed to be factor of 7 between 1 and 3 MeV and of a factor 30 between 3 and 10 MeV. The fact that both experiments yielded nearly identical results gives support to the reality of the excess component. The power in this excess is nearly as large as the total integrated synchrotron power of 2×10−7 erg cm−2 s−1 of the Crab Nebula. It has been speculated that this powerful, narrow-band component may be produced in the pulsar magnetosphere, possibly near the surface of the neutron star2.