X-Ray Bursts from Galactic Center Region

W. H. G. Lewin and the SAS-3 Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, report: "Eleven x-ray bursts were observed from the galactic center region between Feb. 7.8 and 13.9 UT. The bursts must have come from at least two sources but probably more. If only two sources are responsible for the 11 bursts, their positions are: l = -0o.27 +/- 0o.1, b = -0o.22 +/- 0o.1 (R.A. = 17h42m.6, Decl. = -29o16', equinox 1950.0) and l = -0o.72 +/- 0o.15, b = -0o.27 +/- 0o.1 (R.A. = 17h14m.7, Decl. = -29o40', equinox 1950.0); eight bursts could have come from the first location, six from the second. Three strong bursts (two of them reported on IAUC 2911) showed very similar double-peak time structure; not all bursts show this time structure. If we make the assumption that only these three bursts come from one source, then its position is within an area determined by: l = 0o.0, b = -0o.1; l = -0o.3, b = -0o.2; l = -0o.3, b = -0o.3; l = 0o.0, b = -0o.2. SAS-3 observations of this region are continuing until about Mar. 7. "On IAUC 2914 we reported a strong x-ray flare, presumably from 3U 0614+09. In contrast to what the title suggested, we did not mean to imply that this was an x-ray burst of the kind reported here and on IAUC 2879, 2907, 2911 and 2915."