X-ray observations of bright galactic bulge sources in the vicinity of GX 5-1.

Abstract

Results are presented for 44 d of pointed COS-B X-ray observations of the galactic center region around GX5-1. It is found that GX5-1 exhibits relatively rapid (≡10³ s) intensity transitions as well as flaring events with a typical time scale of ≡10⁴ s. Neither GX5-1, GX3+1 nor GX9+1 shows evidence of periodic intensity modulations due to orbital motion on time scales from minutes to fractions of a day. These results are discussed in the context of proposed models for bright galactic bulge sources.