The Solar Maximum Mission atlas of gamma-ray flares

We present a compilation of data for all 258 gamma-ray flares detected abov e 300 keV by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) aboard the Solar Maximum Miss ion satellite. This gamma-ray flare sample was collected during the period from 1980 February to 1989 November; covering the latter half of the 21st s olar sunspot cycle and the onset of the 22d solar sunspot cycle. We describ e the SMM/GRS instrument, its in-orbit operation, and the principal data re duction methods used to derive the gamma-ray flare properties. Utilizing me asurements for 185 flares that were sufficiently intense to allow the deriv ation of gamma-ray spectra, we present an atlas of time profiles and gamma- ray spectra. The flare parameters derived from the gamma-ray spectra includ e bremsstrahlung fluence and best-fit power-law parameters, narrow nuclear line fluence, positron annihilation line fluence, neutron capture line flue nce, and an indication of whether or not emissions greater than 10 MeV were present. Since a uniform methodology was adopted for deriving the paramete rs, this atlas should be very useful for future statistical and correlative studies of solar flares.