Date of Award

Spring 1996

Project Type

Dissertation

Program or Major

Physics

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

First Advisor

James Ryan

Abstract

We present results from three years of observations from Cygnus X-1 and the Crab Nebula using the Gamma Ray Spectrometer onboard the Solar Maximum Mission satellite. We show that using a neural network based background model, it is possible to predict the terrestrial component of the gamma-ray background to a $<$1% level. We also show that the flux from the Crab is steady over a three year period at level of 0.024 $\pm$ 0.002 $\gamma$ cm$\rm\sp{-2}\ s\sp{-1}\ MeV\sp{-1}$. Similarly, the flux from Cygnus X-1 was consistent with the flux measured in 1979 with HEAO-3 and in 1991 with BATSE. We measured a flux of 0.013 $\pm$ 0.003 $\gamma\rm\ cm\sp{-2}\ s\sp{-1}\ MeV\sp{-1}$. We discuss the electron lifetimes within the Crab Nebula and limits on temperature variations from the Cygnus X-1 accretion disk.

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