Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Phase 4 Guest Investigator Program: Solar Flare Hard X-ray Spectroscopy
Abstract
During the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory's (CGRO) Cycle 4 Guest Investigator Program we proposed three mutually supporting efforts to support the analysis of BATSE solar flare data with a particular emphasis on hard X-ray spectroscopy-building upon our Cycle 2 and 3 efforts. The efforts included: (1) the continued improvement of a software and database environment capable of supporting all users of BATSE solar data as well as providing scientific expertise and effort to the BATSE solar GI community; (2) the continued participation with the PI team and other Guest Investigators in the detailed analysis of the BATSE detectors' response at low energies; and (3) the first systematic study of the Super Hot Component of solar flares using late phase hard X-ray spectra from 10-40 keV. We successfully completed our first two goals in the Cycle 4 period, providing essential scientific analysis, software, and data support to several investigations using BATSE Data (especially studies using electron time-of-flight differentials), and providing expertise in calibrating the BATSE low-energy Spectroscopy Detectors. It was discovered during the attempt to understand BATSE Spectroscopy Detector (SPEC) measurements at low energies, that studies of the Super Hot Component would be suspect until more was known about the response and calibration of the SPEC detectors. Our efforts have resulted in the publication of several papers using electron time-of-flight measurements to suggest a cusp sight for particle acceleration in solar flares, the impending release of the SPEX Spectroscopy Analysis package onto the SolarSoft collaborative solar software library, a better understanding of the response of the BATSE Spectroscopy Detectors as well as groundwork for future calibration efforts, and the publication of several research papers supported by Dr. Schwartz's work under the Cycle 4 program.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- May 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996STIN...9671448S
- Keywords:
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- Gamma Ray Observatory;
- Solar Flares;
- X Ray Spectra;
- X Ray Astronomy;
- Solar Spectra;
- Gamma Ray Bursts;
- Data Bases;
- Spectroscopic Analysis;
- Time Of Flight Spectrometers;
- X Ray Spectroscopy;
- Solar Physics