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The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) Earth Occultation Catalog of Low-Energy Gamma-Ray SourcesThe Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), provided a record of the low-energy gamma-ray sky (approx. 20-1000 keV) between 1991 April and 2000 May (9.1 yr). BATSE monitored the high-energy sky using the Earth occultation technique (EOT) for point sources whose emission extended for times on the order of the CGRO orbital period (approx. 92 min) or greater. Using the EOT to extract flux information, a catalog of sources using data from the BATSE Large Area Detectors has been prepared. The first part of the catalog consists of results from the all-sky monitoring of 58 sources, mostly Galactic, with intrinsic variability on timescales of hours to years. For these sources, we have included tables of flux and spectral data, and outburst times for transients. Light curves (or flux histories) have been placed on the World Wide Web. We then performed a deep sampling of these 58 objects, plus a selection of 121 more objects, combining data from the entire 9.1 yr BATSE data set. Source types considered were primarily accreting binaries, but a small number of representative active galaxies, X-ray-emitting stars, and supernova remnants were also included. The sample represents a compilation of sources monitored and/or discovered with BATSE and other high-energy instruments between 1991 and 2000, known sources taken from the HEAO 1 A-4 and Macomb & Gehrels catalogs. The deep sample results include definite detections of 83 objects and possible detections of 36 additional objects. The definite detections spanned three classes of sources: accreting black hole and neutron star binaries, active galaxies, and Supernova remnants. The average fluxes measured for the fourth class, the X-ray emitting stars, were below the confidence limit for definite detection.
Document ID
20040171126
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Harmon, B. A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Wilson, C. A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Fishman, G. J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Connaughton, V.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Henze, W.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Paciesas, W. S.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Finger, M. H.
(Universities Space Research Association Huntsville, AL, United States)
McCollough, M. L.
(Universities Space Research Association Huntsville, AL, United States)
Sahi, M.
(Universities Space Research Association Huntsville, AL, United States)
Peterson, B.
(Universities Space Research Association Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Publisher: Chicago Univ.
Volume: 154
Subject Category
Astronomy
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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