Upper limits to the high-energy gamma-ray and hard X-ray flux from SN 1987A on day 55

A balloon-borne experiment was carried out on April 19 1987 from Alice Springs, Australia to detect high-energy gamma-rays and hard X-rays from the supernova SN 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. An optical spark chamber for measuring the high-energy gamma-rays and a multiwire proportional counter for measuring the hard X-rays shared a common balloon platform. No positive emission was observed by either detector. The gamma-ray upper limit obtained indicates that either the expanding supernova shell was opaque to gamma-rays at the time of the flight, or that the supernova cosmic ray luminosity was less than ∼ 1040 ergs-1. The X-ray upper limit obtained confirms the opacity of the shell to Comptonized hard X-rays. (author)