With the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) now in its ninth year of operation, the Fifth Compton Symposium provided an opportunity for sharing the most recent scientific results from CGRO and other related experiments in gamma-ray astronomy. Equally important were the descriptions of several new space-based and ground-based experiments in gamma-ray astronomy. These new instruments will be responsible for continuing the pioneering efforts of the CGRO mission. The proceedings provide a valuable reference for researchers in high energy astrophysics.

These conference proceedings are available as a two-part set, or Part One. Part Two is not available separately. This volume comprises a review of the work of the Compton Observatory.

Annotation Proceedings of a conference held in College Park, Maryland, in September 1993. Papers discuss results from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, in orbit since 1991. Presentations are divided into sections on opening remarks, spin-powered pulsars, nucleosynthesis, galactic sources, galactic center, cosmic rays and galactic diffusion radiation, agn-seyferts, agn-quasars and bl lacs, and analysis and instrumentation. No index. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Part One: The Compton Observatory in Review Here is a work that must instantly be considered the essential reference on the scientific achievements of the Observatory's first six years. This comprehensive and authoritative work was written by the foremost experts in gamma-ray astronomy, including Neil Gehrels, Carl Fichtel, Robert Hartman, and Charles Meegan. With today's funding uncertainties and with scientists moving from one project to the next, the editors have taken advantage of a rare opportunity to distill the expertise of these central figures and record it in a single volume. Part Two: Papers and Presentations This work documents the Fourth Symposium with papers that explore the most violent events and energetic processes in nature. It takes an in- depth look at topics including pulsars, nova and supernova explosions, accreting black holes, quasar emissions, and interactions of cosmic rays with the interstellar medium. The book presents results from the latest high-energy missions, and recent theoretical studies and numerical simulations designed to explain many of the outstanding questions in high-energy astrophysics.