Abstract
The emission lines reported at 400–500 keV in the spectra of γ-ray bursts1 have been interpreted as redshifted positron annihilation lines, and, together with the lower-energy cyclotron lines1, are the most direct evidence that bursts occur on the surface of neutron stars2. Therefore, it is important to confirm the existence and determine the properties of these features. So far, the most significant detections of emission features have been reported from the Konus experiments on Veneras 11–14. Possible confirmatory observations have suffered from limited statistical significance or difficulties in interpretation. Here we compare measurements of a γ-ray burst at 01:37 UT on 31 December 1981, using the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) γ-ray spectrometer with those made by the Konus instruments. The SMM spectra exhibit no evidence for the presence of emission features reported by the Konus group3.
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Nolan, P., Share, G., Chupp, E. et al. Spectral feature of 31 December 1981 γ-ray burst not confirmed. Nature 311, 360–362 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/311360a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/311360a0
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