THE BATSE SEARCH FOR ABSORPTION-LINES

No absorption lines between 15 and 100 keV have been detected in burst spectra accumulated by BATSE. Almost 250 bursts have been inspected visually, and a computerized search has begun. Our simulations show that BATSE could indeed detect Lines similar to those observed by Ginga in strong bursts, and our tests of the detectors' actual capabilities demonstrate they function as understood. The apparent discrepancy between BATSE and Ginga is not yet compelling, and therefore the BATSE nondetections do not invalidate the Ginga detections. Nonetheless, the absence of BATSE line detections indicates a low line-occurrence frequency.