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A search for the reported 400-keV γ-ray line from Crab Nebula

Abstract

LEVENTHAL et al.1 have reported a possible γ-ray line at 400±1 keV from the Crab Nebula. The measurement was achieved with a balloon-borne high resolution γ-ray telescope flown from Alamogordo, New Mexico on 10–11 May 1976. The intensity and the width of the line are reported to be (2.24±0.65) × 10−3 photon cm−2 s−1 and 3 KeV, respectively. These authors suggested that a possible origin of this line may be the gravitational redshift of the 0.511 MeV annihilation line produced near the surface of the neutron star. The line, if real, is of great astrophysical interest, and a confirmation of the measurement is therefore important. We report here the results of our search for this feature.

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References

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LING, J., MAHONEY, W., WILLETT, J. et al. A search for the reported 400-keV γ-ray line from Crab Nebula. Nature 270, 36–37 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/270036a0

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