CGRO Biweekly Status Report

[SHRADER@GROSSC.GSFC.NASA.GOV]

     Compton Observatory Science Report #173, Friday December 23, 1994
        Chris Shrader, Compton Observatory Science Support Center
  
           Questions or comments can be sent to the CGRO SSC.
            Phone: 301/286-8434
            e-mail:   NSI_DECnet: GROSSC::SHRADER 
            Internet: shrader@grossc.gsfc.nasa.gov
                                                                       
  
  On behalf of the CGRO project: Have a great holiday season!
  
  
                       Guest Investigator Program
  
  The schedule for CGRO Cycle-5 proposal submission has been finalized.
  The NRA (NRA 95-OSS-01) will officially released on January 11, 1995.
  Proposals will be due on April 7, 1995. The NRA will be distributed
  by NASA HQ, and the appendices will be distributed by the CGRO-SSC.
  The appendices will also be available electronically from the SSC -
  for information on how to retrieve them see GRONEWS (login as GRONEWS
  on grossc.gsfc.nasa.gov) or on the World Wide Web 
  (URL: http://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cossc/cossc.html). Not all of the
  figures will be included on the electronic copies. 
  
  The sceond announcement for the forthcoming Third Compton Symposium
  has been issued by the host insitution, the Max Planck Insitute. A copy is 
  appended to this report. It is also available on GRONEWS, etc.
  
  
                           Instrument Reports
  
  EGRET
  
  EGRET operations were normal this biweekly period. Delivery of data
  to the GRO SSC remains on schedule. Interaction with guest
  investigators continues at a good level.
  
  Work is nearing completion on several summary papers that should be
  submitted to journals shortly.  The deep survey of the Virgo region
  continues; the results of this survey should add significantly to our
  knowledge of AGN's, including their time histories and luminosity
  distribution.
  
  There will be several talks on EGRET results at the forthcoming
  American Astronomical Meeting.
  
  
  OSSE
  
  On day 94/350 (16 Dec), OSSE detector #1 failed to step in response
  to the automatic motor drive positioning process that, in normal
  operation, moves the detectors every 2 minutes.  The positioning
  process detected the failure and brought the detector off line. 
  Three hours later, we stepped the motor with ground commands and
  brought the detector back on line without any difficulty.  It has
  operated normally since that time.  This is the first time since
  launch that a detector has missed a step, and it is unrelated to the
  occasional periods of noise in the redundant positioning readout
  pots. We are still analyzing possible causes, one of which is a
  single bit upset in the control software.
  
  
  In viewing period 406 (13-20 Dec), the Z-axis target was NGC 5506
  (Guest Investigator J. Piro), and the X-axis target was PSR J1706-44
  (Guest Investigator J. Cordes). During the short period each orbit
  when neither target is visible, the additional targets are NGC 4151
  and NGC 7582.  In viewing period 407 (20 Dec - 3 Jan), the Z-axis
  target is NGC 5506 (Guest Investigator J. Piro), and the X-axis
  target is the galactic plane near (l,b) = (350,0) (PI team),
  including a limited amount of time on the X-ray nova GRO J1655-40
  during apparently the tail end of its current outburst.
  
  Data from viewing periods 302.0, 302.3, and 303.0 were delivered to
  the Compton GRO Science Support Center archive this week.  The
  targets during these viewing periods were N Cyg 1992, NGC 5548, GX
  1+4, GRS 1009-45, and a portion of the Virgo Sky Survey.
  
  
  COMPTEL
  
  The COMPTEL instrument is performing well and continues routine
  observations. Data analysis and interpretation continues with
  alacrity, despite equally vigorous team preparation for the forth-
  coming holiday season!
  
  
  BATSE
  
  No transient sources are currently being detected by BATSE Earth
  occultation monitoring.
  
  The following sources were detected by the BATSE pulsed source
  monitor in the past two weeks: Her X-1, Cen X-3, 4U 1626-67, 2S
  1417-624, GX 1+4, Vela X-1, and GX 301-2. The outburst of 2S 1417-624
  which ended on December 19th, lasted 115 days. The x-ray binary GX
  1+4 is still spinning up.
  
  As of December 19th, BATSE has detected 1186 cosmic gamma-ray bursts
  out of a total of 3209 on-board triggers in 1336 days of operation.
  There have been 741 triggers due to solar flares with emission above
  60 keV. Since the BATSE burst trigger criteria were changed on
  September 19th, there have been 13 triggers due to terrestrial
  gamma-ray flashes.
  
  
  *********************************************************************
  3rd Compton Symposium 
  on Gamma-Ray Astronomy and 
  Astrophysics
  
  
  
  June 12 - 14, 1995
  
  Munich, Germany
  
  
  Hosted by the 
  Max-Planck-Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik
  D-85740 Garching, Germany
  
  Second Circular
  Call for Papers
  
  December 1994
  
  
  ANNOUNCEMENT
  
  The Third International Compton Symposium on Gamma-Ray  Astronomy and
  Astrophysics  will be held at the "GASTEIG" in Munich, from June 12
  to 14, 1995,  and is being organized  by the Max-Planck-Institut fur
  extraterrestrische Physik.  The "GASTEIG" is located near the center
  of Munich.
  
  This second circular contains information on the scientific program,
  on conference logistics, and on deadlines concerning the submission
  of abstracts.
  
  If you have not registered until now, please don't hesitate to 
  contact us via E-mail immediately. 
   
  
  Volker Schoenfelder
       (Chairman)
  
  LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE  
  
   R. Diehl
   G. Kanbach (Chair)
   G. Lichti
   H. Mayer-Hasselwander
   V. Schoenfelder
   F. Schrey
   A. Strong
   H. Haber (Secretariat)
  
  SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:
  
   C. Fichtel             J. Ryan
   G. Fishman             R. Schlickeiser
   N. Gehrels             V. Schoenfelder (Chair)
   J. Grindlay            R. Staubert
   G. Kanbach             J. Trümper
   J. Kurfess             G. Vedrenne
   E. Lorenz              J.H. Völk
   G. Morfill
  
   
  SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME
  
  The format established during the previous Compton Symposia will 
  generally be followed in  the programme of this conference. A mixture
  of invited reviews,  contributed talks and poster  presentations will
  cover the current state of observational and  theoretical gamma-ray
  astro- nomy. Topics pertaining to solar emissions and gamma-ray
  bursts will only be summarized  in invited reviews; attention is
  drawn to  special conferences for these subjects.The pre- liminary
  programme includes the following topics:
          
    OVERVIEWS of the results from the 4 CGRO instruments.
    SUMMARIES on gamma-ray bursts and solar gamma-ray emissions.
    GALACTIC ASTRONOMY: Pulsars, X-ray binaries and other energetic 
    stellar systems, 
    novae, supernova remnants, molecular clouds, unidentified 
    galactic gamma-ray sources, 
    interstellar medium, cosmic rays and galactic structure, nucleosynthesis.
    EXTRAGALACTIC ASTRONOMY: Nearby normal galaxies, active galactic nuclei, 
    Seyferts and blazars, high galactic latitude unidentified sources,
    cosmic gamma-ray background.
    FUTURE REQUIREMENTS and instrumentation for gamma-ray astronomy.
  
  
  PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME 
  
  So far, 18 invited talks of 30 minutes duration and 36 contributed
  talks of 15 minutes each  are scheduled. The number of POSTER
  presentations is unlimited.  
  
  
  INVITED TALKS
  
  OSSE Overview 
  J. Kurfess
  
  BATSE Overview 
  W. Paciesas
  
  COMPTEL Overview 
  V. Schoenfelder
  
  EGRET Overview 
  C. Fichtel
  
  Solar Flares with Gamma-Ray Emission
  R. Murphy
  
  Gamma-Ray Burst Theory
  D. Hartman
  
  Pulsars
  J. Arons
  
  Stellar Black Hole Candidates
  Y. Tanaka
  
  The Galactic Center
  R. Genzel
  
  Nucleosynthesis and Gamma-Ray Line Astrophysics
  N. Prantzos*
  
  Gamma-Ray Lines from Interstellar Particle Interactions 
  R. Ramaty
  
  Diffuse Galactic X- and Gamma-Ray Continuum
  A. Strong
  
  Galactic Structure and Unidentified Galactic Sources 
  measured by EGRET 
  S. Hunter
  
  Models of X / g-Ray Emission from Seyfert Galaxies
  R. Svensson*
  
  Models of High-Energy Emission from Quasars
  R. Schlickeiser
  
  VLBl and Multiwavelength Studies of Gamma-Ray AGN
  A. Wehrle
  
  The X- and g-Ray Background
  G. Hasinger
  
  The Early Days of Gamma-Ray Astronomy
  K. Pinkau
   
  
  * Speaker to be confirmed
  
  
  
  CALL FOR CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
   
  Abstracts should be submitted no later than March 31, 1995. 
  
  They should contain author(s) and their affiliation, title and max. 
  200 words of text. Indicate  your preference for oral or poster
  presentation.
  
  Submission by e-mail is encouraged in ASCII format.  Hardcopies may
  be mailed to the conference secretariat using the attached form. 
  Authors will be notified of acceptance and allocation of papers to 
  sessions and poster/oral presentations by April 15, 1995
  
  
  PROCEEDINGS & FEES
  
  The Conference Proceedings will be published in a special issue of
  Astronomy & Astro-
  physics.
  
  The Registration and Conference Fee, including a copy of the
  conference proceedings per  participant, is DM 400.-, if paid before
  April 30, 1995. Late registration fee will be DM 450,-.
  
  
  Payment should be made by money transfer to :
   
  
  
  Max-Planck-Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik
  Code CGRO95
  
  Account No.: 29 400 36 
  Bankhaus Reuschel & Co., Munchen, Germany
  Bank Code : 700 303 00. 
  
  
  
  Please indicate your payment, with date of money transfer, on the
  enclosed registration  form. 
  
  CANCELLATION POLICY
  
  Refund of registration fees is possible with a deduction of DM 35,-.
  
  Cancellation must be received in written form at the conference
  secretariat by May 
  20, 1995, by E-mail : CGRO95@mpe-Garching.mpg.de, or by FAX:
  +49/(0)89-3299-
  3569. 
  
  
  IMPORTANT DATES
  
  
  March 31, 1995:     Deadline for abstracts of invited and contributed
  papers.
  
  April 15, 1995:     Third Circular with preliminary programme.
                      Notification of acceptance and allocation of 
                      contributions. 
  
  April 30, 1995:     Deadline for booking at PENTA Hotel at reduced
  rate. 
                      Deadline for reduced conference fee.
                      Deadline for revised abstracts.
  
  June 12-14, 1995:   Symposium
  
  
  GENERAL INFORMATION
  
  VENUE:
  
  The "Gasteig" is located close to the center of downtown Munich, near 
  the "Deutsches Museum" and across the street from the Penta Hotel. It
  houses the Munich Symphony Hall and  several large auditoria for
  cultural events. The Symposium will  take place in the Carl-Orff-
  Auditorium, which seats about 400 persons. Secretariat, posters, 
  lounges and refreshments 
  will be located in the lobby outside the lecture hall. 
  
  ACCOMMODATION:
  
  A block reservation at the nearby "Penta Hotel" has been made for
  participants of the Sym- posium. The prices will be 150 DM (for
  single room) or 175 DM (for double room), including  breakfast
  buffet. Booking should be made directly with the hotel,  not later
  than May 1, 1995  (a form sheet is enclosed).
  
  PENTA HOTEL
  'Compton Symposium'    c/o Ms. M. Metzner
  Hochstrasse 3, D-81669 Munchen, Germany
                                        Phone: +49 (0)89 4803 - 0
                                        Fax     : +49 (0)89 4 48 82 77
   
  SOCIAL EVENTS
  
  There will be a no host  WELCOMING RECEPTION in the evening before
  the meet-
  ing on June 11, 1995 at the Penta Hotel at 7:00 p.m. The registration
  office will be 
  opened on June 11 at 4:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Penta Hotel.
  
  THE DINNER BANQUET  is planned for June 13, 1995 in the Aircraft
  Exhibition Hall  of the Deutsches Museum, Museumsinsel 1, within
  walking distance of the Penta  Hotel and Gasteig. The dinner ticket
  per person will be 50,- DM.
  
  TRANSPORTATION  is not required during the conference due to the
  short distance  between the locations. 
  
  To reach the hotel from the airport or main train station use the
  S-Bahn trains to sta- tion Rosenheimer Platz. The hotel is about 100
  m from the station. The S8 line from  the airport terminal runs every
  20 minutes and the journey takes about 30 minutes.  Tickets are
  available in the terminal from a machine. From the main train station 
  (Hauptbahnhof) take any S-Bahn in the direction Ostbahnhof. 
  
  You will receive a map with public transport and city information
  with the Third  Circular.
  
  
  COMMUNICATION
  
  The secretariat for the 3rd Compton Symposium is located at the 
  
  Max-Planck-Institut fur extraterrestrische Physik 
  Postfach 1603
  D-85740 Garching 
  Germany
  
  TELEPHONE:      +49-(0)89-3299-3332, Ms. Haber, secretary
                                    -3544, Dr. G. Kanbach (LOC)
                                    -3578, Dr. V. Schoenfelder (SOC)
  
  FAX:                              -3569 (attn. Ms. H. Haber)
  
  E-MAIL: cgro95@mpe-garching. mpg.de
  
  
  
  
  We use E-mail communication as much as possible and have set up an
  anonymous ftp  where you can obtain copies of circulars, forms and
  other material and a WWW page for  information. Please use the
  following procedure to reach these facilities:
  
  
       FTP:
  
      >ftp cgro95.mpe-garching mpg.de
  
      Name: anonymous
  
     Password: your E-mail address
  
     >follow instructions
  
     World Wide Web home page:
  
     URL = 
     http://cgro95.mpe-garching.mpg.de/cgro95.html
  

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