Detailed studies of the nonperiodic time variability of several galactic x-ray sources. Final report, 1 November 1973--31 March 1975

Computer software necessary for the analysis of the time variability of x-ray sources was developed and tested. Seventy-one Uhuru observations of the black hole candidate Cygnus X-1 were also examined. Data show that the x-ray emission can be best represented as arising from randomly occurring x-ray flares with a mean rate of occurrence of 18 flares/sec and a mean cooling time of approximately 1/2 sec. Furthermore data show that photons in the 2 to 16 keV bandwidth arise from within the same flares. Finally, it was found that the mean flare rate and cooling time have been constant since the source underwent a spectral transition in March 1971. Long term variations of several parameters associated with the x-ray emission from this object were studied. (auth)