Hard X-ray observation of galactic X-ray sources

Abstract

A large (1455 cm 2) hard X-ray telescope was successfully launched aboard a stratospheric balloon on October 4, 1980. During this flight four galactic X-ray sources were observed, namely the transient recurrent X-ray pulsar A0535+26, the Crab Nebula, Cygnus X-1 and X Persei. Here we report the results on the latter two sources. From Cygnus X-1 we measured a photon flux in the band 30 to 200 keV, of 3.5 × 10 −2 photons cm −2 which is 6.5 times lower than that recieved from the source in a “low” intensity state in the same energy band. In addition, the photon spectrum in the same energy band was very soft and consistent with a power law with photon index α = 2.71 ± 0.14. Even if a simultaneous observation of the source at lower energies was not available, our data strongly suggest that we observed the source during a “high” intensity state. We report also positive detection in the band 30 to 200 keV of the low luminosity X-ray pulsar X Persei. In its spectrum we confirm the presence of a hard X-ray tail consistent with a power law (photon index α = 2.17 ± 0.42).