Coaxial anode wire for gas radiation counters

The design and characteristics of a gas radiation counter are discussed. The coaxial anode consists of an elongated central wire covered with an electrically insulating sleeve. Several longitudinally discontinuous segments of an electrically conductive coating are disposed about the insulating sleeve in a coaxial pattern along the length of the central wire. The conductive coating segments form a veto or rejection anode at each end of the central wire and a main or primary charge detecting anode between the ends. The segments are coupled together so that the primary charge detecting anode is connected to detection circuitry in anti-coincidence with the veto anodes. Background radiation detected by either of the veto anodes and the primary charge detecting anode is rejected and the sensitivity of the radiation counter device is increased

Coaxial anode improves sensitivity of gas radiation counters

Anode wire itself is enclosed by three segments. Two on ends are rejector segments, and middle one is primary charge-detecting segment. Anode wire is made from tungsten and is surrounded by enamel insulation. Enamel is covered by segments of vapor-deposited gold. At one point in center segment, gold layer makes direct contact with anode wire

OSO-8 soft X-ray wheel experiment: Data analysis

The soft X-ray experiment hardware and its operation are described. The device included six X-ray proportional counters, two of which, numbers 1 and 4, were pressurized with on-board methane gas supplies. Number 4 developed an excessive leak rate early in the mission and was turned off on 1975 day number 282 except for brief (typically 2-hour) periods up to day 585 after which it as left off. Counter 1 worked satisfactorily until 1975 day number 1095 (January 1, 1978) at which time the on-board methane supply was depleted. The other four counters were sealed and all except number 3 worked satisfactorily throughout the mission which terminated with permanent satellie shut-down on day 1369. This was the first large area thin-window, gas-flow X-ray detector to be flown in orbit. The background problems were severe and consumed a very large portion of the data analysis effort. These background problems were associated with the Earth's trapped electron belts

Cosmic gamma rays - experimental

Experimental data on cosmic gamma radiatio

Limits on soft X-ray flux from distant emission regions

The all-sky soft X-ray data of McCammon et al. and the new N sub H survey (Stark et al. was used to place limits on the amount of the soft X-ray diffuse background that can originate beyond the neutral gas of the galactic disk. The X-ray data for two regions of the sky near the galactic poles are shown to be uncorrelated with 21 cm column densities. Most of the observed x-ray flux must therefore originate on the near side of the most distant neutral gas. The results from these regions are consistent with X-ray emission from a locally isotropic, unabsorbed source, but require large variations in the emission of the local region over large angular scales

The soft X-ray diffuse background

Maps of the diffuse X-ray background intensity covering essentially the entire sky with approx. 7 deg spatial resolution are presented for seven energy bands. The data were obtained on a series of ten sounding rocket flights conducted over a seven-year period. The different nature of the spatial distributions in different bands implies at least three distinct origins for the diffuse X-rays, none of which is well-understood. At energies or approx. 2000 eV, an isotropic and presumably extraglalactic 500 and 1000 eV, an origin which is at least partially galactic seems called for. At energies 284 eV, the observed intensity is anticorrelated with neutral hydrogen column density, but we find it unlikely that this anticorrelation is simply due to absorption of an extragalactic or halo source

Spatial distribution and broad-band spectral characteristics of the diffuse X-ray background, 0.1 - 1.0 keV

Preliminary maps covering more than 85 percent of the sky are presented for three energy bands: the B band, the C band, and the M band. The study was undertaken to find evidence that most of the diffuse X-ray background at energies less than 1 keV is local to the galaxy and that it is most probably due to thermal radiation from a low density plasma which fills a substantial fraction of interstellar space. A preliminary analysis of the data is provided including a report that most of the B and C band flux has a common origin, probably in a 10 to the 6th power K region surrounding the Sun, and that most of the M band flux does not originate from the same material

Cosmic X-ray physics

The analysis of the beryllium-filtered data from Flight 17.020 was completed. The data base provided by the Wisconsin diffuse X-ray sky survey is being analyzed by correlating the B and C band emission with individual velocity components of neutral hydrogen. Work on a solid state detector to be used in high resolution spectroscopy of diffuse or extend X-ray sources is continuing. A series of 21 cm observations was completed. A paper on the effects of process parameter variation on the reflectivity of sputter-deposited tungsten-carvon multilayers was published

Cosmic X-ray physics

The soft X-ray sky survey data are combined with the results from the UXT sounding rocket payload. Very strong constraints can then be placed on models of the origin of the soft diffuse background. Additional observational constraints force more complicated and realistic models. Significant progress was made in the extraction of more detailed spectral information from the UXT data set. Work was begun on a second generation proportional counter response model. The first flight of the sounding rocket will have a collimator to study the diffuse background

Cosmic x ray physics

The annual progress report on Cosmic X Ray Physics is presented. Topics studied include: the soft x ray background, proportional counter and filter calibrations, the new sounding rocket payload: X Ray Calorimeter, and theoretical studies