The Spin-X wide-field X-ray monitor of the Spectrum-X-Gamma astrophysical observatory

The Spin-X wide-field X-ray monitor of the Spectrum-X-Gamma astrophysical observatory, which is based on the principle of a coded-aperture telescope, is designed to detect and localize cosmic gammaray-burst (GRB) sources; to survey large areas of the sky in search of new transients; and to carry out long-term observations of bright Galactic sources, including X-ray bursters. The monitor consists of two noncoaxial identical modules, Spin-X1 and Spin-X2, which together cover 6.8% of the sky. The high-apogee, four-day orbit of the Spectrum-XG satellite allows the instrument to be in observing mode more than 50% of the time. Having simulated the rate of GRB detection by Spin-X, we show that extrapolating BATSE 50–300-keV average data on the number of GRBs, their duration, and their mean energy spectrum to the X-ray energy band leads to disagreement with the observed detection rate of GRBs in the X-ray band. The number of GRBs that can be detected and localized with an accuracy r≤3′ (3σ) (the error-circle radius) by Spin-X is estimated to be ten bursts per year. We present data on the Spin-X sensitivity achievable during long-term observations of persistent and transient sources and on its sensitivity to X-ray bursts from Galactic sources in the 2–30-keV energy band.     

Oscillation structure of gamma-ray bursts and their possible origin

It is hypothesized that thermonuclear burning of the matter from the envelope of a massive compact star accreting onto a hot neutron star produced by spherically symmetric collapse of a stellar iron core can proceed in oscillation mode (much as is the case during thermal explosions of carbon-oxygen cores in lower mass stars). Local density oscillations near the neutron-star surface can generate shock waves; in these shocks, the electron-positron plasma is stratified from the remaining matter, and shells of an expanding relativistic fireball with an oscillation time scale in cosmological gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) of ～10^?2 s are formed. It is pointed out that the GRB progenitors can be nonrotating massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars whose collapse, according to observational data, can proceed without any substantial envelope ejection.     

The point-spread function for airborne radiometry

Pointwise division in the Fourier domain can be used to deconvolve the effects of aircraft altitude upon gridded, two-dimensional, radiometric count data. The appropriate divisor function, expressed as a triple integral by Gunn, is developed as a convergent series suitable for its numerical evaluation. For various flying heights, graphs display in cross-section the corresponding, radially symmetric, divisor function.     

The efficiency of different methods of observations by using Cerenkov detectors of eas with imaging cameras

The detection efficiency of the atmospheric Cerenkov flashes in searching for very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray sources using the multichannel imaging cameras (MIC) are compared for various technique. Here the detection efficiency is regarded as the time needed for gamma-ray source detection with the preset flux at a certain confidence level. The shorter the time the higher the efficiency.The Monte Carlo simulation of the flashes detection process by MIC has been used for the comparison of various observational methods. The analysis has shown that the tracking of the source followed by the background tracking is the most efficient. Scanning and off-axis observations are 1.5–2.0 times less efficient.     

Scope of high-frequency time keeping in searches for short-period gamma-ray sources

This paper presents a novel technique to derive the absolute time of occurrence of an event with an accuracy of < 200 μs by adapting the HF time synchronization technique to correct for the aging rate and the frequency drift of a temperature-controlled quartz frequency standard. The propagation delay suffered by the HF time signals has been estimated by monitoring the clock error with respect to time signals from five broadcast stations located at distances in the range 500–3700 km from Gulmarg. Using simulated data, we further show the viability of this technique in permitting periodicity searches on timescales of ≥5 milliseconds in cosmic gamma-ray data An erratum to this article is available at .     

Radial distributions of gamma-ray bursts and type Ib/c supernovae in galaxies

Data on the positions of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in galaxies are used to construct the radial distributions of their surface density. The gradient in GRB surface density is shown to decrease sharply at a galactocentric distance equal to the effective galactic radius. In central galactic regions, the GRB density distribution agrees with the galactic surface-brightness distribution; in outer regions, the GRB density decreases more slowly than does the surface brightness. Based on improved statistics, we analyze the radial distribution of type Ib/c supernovae. We show that it differs insignificantly from the distributions of other types of supernova and exhibits a much closer similarity to the distribution of star-forming regions than do GRBs. Although the statistics for GRBs is poor, the deviation of their distribution from the distribution of active star-forming regions in nearby galaxies seems to have been firmly established. A correlation of GRBs with the distribution of dark matter in outer galactic regions is not ruled out.     

Spectra and light curves of GRB afterglows

We performed accurate numerical calculations of angle-, time-, and frequency-dependent radiative transfer for the relativistic motion of matter in gamma-ray burst (GRB) models. Our technique for solving the transfer equation, which is based on the method of characteristics, can be applied to the motion of matter with a Lorentz factor up to 1000. The effect of synchrotron self-absorption is taken into account. We computed the spectra and light curves from electrons with a power-law energy distribution in an expanding relativistic shock and compare them with available analytic estimates. The behavior of the optical afterglows from GRB 990510 and GRB 000301c is discussed qualitatively.     

Anisotropy in the sky distribution of short gamma-ray bursts

We analyze the sky distribution of various types of cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs): short, long, and intermediate; they are determined by burst duration T ₉₀ (T ₉₀ is the time during which 90% of the burst energy is accumulated). We have found an anisotropy in the distribution of intermediate (2 s < T ₉₀ < 8 s) and short (T ₉₀ < 8 s) GRBs in the form of spots with an enhanced GRB concentration near the Galactic coordinates l=115° and b=30°. Given the BATSE nonuniform exposure function, the statistical significance of the anisotropy is 99.89% for intermediate GRBs and 99.99% for short GRBs. Thus, we suggest that this anisotropy has a natural origin and is not caused by BATSE instrumental effects.     

A One-Dimensional Relativistic Shock Model for the Light Curve of Gamma-ray Bursts

We investigate the forming of gamma-ray burst pulses with a simple one-dimensional relativistic shock model. The mechanism is that a "central engine" drives forward the nearby plasma inside the fireball to generate a series of pressure waves. We give a relativistic geometric recurrence formula that connects the time when the pressure waves are produced and the time when the corresponding shocks occurred. This relation enables us to relate the pulse magnitude with the observation time. Our analysis shows that the evolution of the pressure waves leads to a fast rise and an exponential decay pulses. In determining the width of the pulses, the acceleration time is more important than that of the deceleration.     

自然伽马拟声波曲线构建技术探讨

声波测井曲线在地震反演中起着约束和控制模型反演的作用,当其不能反映地层岩性变化时,通常会将现有的非声波测井曲线按照一定的经验公式或统计方法来重构新的声波曲线。但是,这些拟声波曲线构建技术并没有考虑到地层岩石孔隙及孔隙中流体的影响。在考虑到岩石孔隙和孔隙中流体的情况下,拟声波曲线构建技术可以先利用岩石基质的声波速度与自然伽马之间的关系来重构具有声波量纲的新曲线,然后结合原声波曲线中能够反映背景速度的低频信息,构建出新的声波曲线。该方法在鄂尔多斯盆地镇泾地区取得了不错的应用效果。