Nonthermal Radiation from Pulsar Wind Nebulae

Zhang, L.; Chen, S. B.; Fang, Jun

doi:10.1086/527466

Cited by 113 publications

(182 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…This agrees very well with the result of the time-dependent one-zone model by Zhang et al (2008). The magnetic field estimates for MSH 15−52 range between 8 μG (G02) and 25 μG (Zhang et al 2008). The spatial evolution of the magnetic field with distance for our model can be seen in Fig.…”

Section: Results Of the Modelingsupporting

confidence: 88%

Spatially resolved XMM-Newton analysis and a model of the nonthermal emission of MSH 15–52

Schöck¹,

Büsching²,

Jager³

et al. 2010

A&A

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We present an X-ray analysis and a model of the nonthermal emission of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) MSH 15−52. We analyzed XMM-Newton data to obtain the spatially resolved spectral parameters around the pulsar PSR B1509−58. A steepening of the fitted power-law spectra and decrease in the surface brightness is observed with increasing distance from the pulsar. In the second part of this paper, we introduce a model for the nonthermal emission, based on assuming the ideal magnetohydrodynamic limit. This model is used to constrain the parameters of the termination shock and the bulk velocity of the leptons in the PWN. Our model is able to reproduce the spatial variation of the X-ray spectra. The parameter ranges that we found agree well with the parameter estimates found by other authors with different approaches. In the last part of this paper, we calculate the inverse Compton emission from our model and compare it to the emission detected with the HESS telescope system. Our model is able to reproduce the flux level observed with HESS, but not the spectral shape of the observed TeV γ-ray emission.

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Section: Results Of the Modelingsupporting

confidence: 88%

Spatially resolved XMM-Newton analysis and a model of the nonthermal emission of MSH 15–52

Schöck¹,

Büsching²,

Jager³

et al. 2010

A&A

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“…This magnetic field evolution is similar to the t −1.3 − t −2 behavior derived by Reynolds & Chevalier (1984) and the t −1.7 evolution of Gelfand et al (2009) during the initial expansion phase. The power-law evolution of the magnetic field is similar to that adopted by Zhang et al (2008), Lemiere et al (2009), Mayer et al (2012 for similarly aged PWNe.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Fermi-LAT constraints on the pulsar wind nebula nature of HESS J1857+026

Rousseau

Grondin

Etten

et al. 2012

A&A

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Context. Since its launch, the Fermi satellite has firmly identified 5 pulsar wind nebulae plus a large number of candidates, all powered by young and energetic pulsars. HESS J1857+026 is a spatially extended γ-ray source detected by H.E.S.S. and classified as a possible pulsar wind nebula candidate powered by PSR J1856+0245. Aims. We search for γ-ray pulsations from PSR J1856+0245 and explore the characteristics of its associated pulsar wind nebula. Methods. Using a rotational ephemeris obtained from the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory at 1.5 GHz, we phase-fold 36 months of γ-ray data acquired by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard Fermi. We also perform a complete γ-ray spectral and morphological analysis. Results. No γ-ray pulsations were detected from PSR J1856+0245. However, significant emission is detected at a position coincident with the TeV source HESS J1857+026. The γ-ray spectrum is well described by a simple power-law with a spectral index of Γ = 1.53 ± 0.11 stat ± 0.55 syst and an energy flux of G(0.1-100 GeV) = (2.71 ± 0.52 stat ± 1.51 syst ) × 10 −11 erg cm −2 s −1 . The γ-ray luminosity is L γ PWN (0.1-100 GeV) = (2.5 ± 0.5 stat ± 1.5 syst ) × 10 35 d 9 kpc 2 erg s −1 , assuming a distance of 9 kpc. This implies a γ-ray efficiency of ∼5% forĖ = 4.6 × 10 36 erg s −1 , in the range expected for pulsar wind nebulae. Detailed multi-wavelength modeling provides new constraints on its pulsar wind nebula nature.

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“…Despite different accuracies of IC cross section determination, as well as different distributions of magnetic fields and photon fields in nebula used in the past by different authors, the conclusion is unambiguous that the lepton component has a significant contribution to TeV γ rays (e.g. Gould 1965;Jones 1968;Rieke & Weekes 1969;Kennel et al 1984;de Jager & Harding 1992;Atoyan & Aharonian 1996;Zhang et al 2008). On the other hand, hadrons produce high-energy photons and neutrinos in p − p interactions.…”

Section: Photon Emission Inside the Nebulamentioning

confidence: 91%

“…For the Crab nebula, however, there are two possible kinds of models to explain the observed TeV emission properties: leptonic origin models (e.g. Jager & Harding 1992; Atoyan & Aharonian 1996;Zhang et al 2008) and hadronic origin models (e.g. Cheng et al 1990;Atoyan & Aharonian 1996;Bednarek & Prothero 1997;Bednarek & Bartosik 2003; a review see Bednarek 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In such a model, relativistic leptons inside the nebula produce soft synchrotron photons, and these soft photons are next up-scattered by the same leptons to gamma-ray energies through an inverse Compton (IC) process, possible soft photons also include microwave background radiation (MBR), infrared or the optical background inside the nebula. This model has been successfully applied to the best studied TeV gamma-ray source-the Crab nebula and other TeV PWNe (de Jager & Harding 1992;Atoyan & Aharonian 1996;Zhang et al 2008). On the other hand, the selfconsistent, time dependent hadronic-leptonic model has been proposed to account for the high energy processes inside PWNe (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multi-waveband photons and high energy neutrinos from the Crab nebula

Yang¹,

Zhang²

2009

A&A

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We study multi-waveband photon emission properties and possible high-energy neutrino emission from the Crab nebula produced by pulsar's accelerated heavy nuclei. Heavy nuclei are accelerated in the outer magnetosphere of the Crab pulsar, and then suffer partial photo-disintegration in the non-thermal radiation fields of the pulsar's outer magnetosphere. The products (protons and neutrons) of the photo-disintegration and surviving heavier nuclei are injected into the expanding supernova remnant in which the surviving heavier nuclei are further accelerated in the pulsar wind zone. In such a case, relativistic hadrons and leptons are produced; the hadrons consist of direct protons and the protons produced through neutron decay in nuclei disintegration process, the leptons consist of positrons accelerated in a realistic magneto-sonic lepton-heavy iron plasma shock, electrons from the neutron decay, direct electrons, and secondary electron/positron pairs in a proton-proton interaction. We calculate the photo-disintegration rate for a nucleus of atomic number A releasing i nucleons and the hadronic and leptonic spectra in the Crab nebula. We then calculate the multi-waveband nonthermal photon spectrum and possible high-energy neutrino spectrum of the Crab nebula. Our results indicate that the photon spectrum up to ∼10 TeV has a leptonic origin, but it is difficult to distinguish leptonic and hadronic origins of the spectrum with energy greater than 10 TeV.

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Nonthermal Radiation from Pulsar Wind Nebulae

Cited by 113 publications

References 44 publications

Spatially resolved XMM-Newton analysis and a model of the nonthermal emission of MSH 15–52

Spatially resolved XMM-Newton analysis and a model of the nonthermal emission of MSH 15–52

Fermi-LAT constraints on the pulsar wind nebula nature of HESS J1857+026

Multi-waveband photons and high energy neutrinos from the Crab nebula

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