Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004phdt.......209k&link_type=abstract
PhD, Pennsylvania State University, 2004
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Chandra, X-Ray
Scientific paper
The dissertation is devoted to X-ray and optical-UV observations of Neutron Stars (NSs) and Pulsar-Wind nebulae (PWNe). I begin with Introduction (Chapter 1) where I briefly review the astrophysics of pulsars, their winds and synchrotron radiation. I also present an overview of the results of previous X-ray and optical observations of pulsars and PWNe which are relevant to the content of the dissertation. To provide a broader (and more complete) view of the NS population, I then describe observational properties of its more exotic representatives (e.g., Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Central Compact Objects in Supernova Remnants), many of which have emerged only recently. Part I of the dissertation describes the UV and X-ray observations of the famous Vela pulsar and its spectacular PWN (Chapter 2). The observations which I analyzed were carried out with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope. I begin by presenting the spectrum and lightcurves of the pulsar as they are seen in different bands of electromagnetic radiation. I then turn to imaging observations of the Vela PWN. Thirteen observations of the Vela PWN with Chandra, spanning a period of 3 years, reveal its complex and variable structure which consists of arcs, jets, knots and diffuse emission. Especially interesting is the long external jet which changes its shape on a timescale of weeks and contains blobs moving at speeds of (0.5-0.6)c. In addition to the tne structure of the inner PWN, a much larger and fainter asymmetric X-ray nebula emerges in the deep summed images. The shape of this outer PWN is similar to that of the radio PWN. I also present the high-resolution spectral map of the Vela PWN and compare its X-ray properties with those of other PWNe. To see if other PWNe are alike and to study the connection between the pulsar and the PWN properties, I retrieved data on rotation-powered pulsars and PWNe from the Chandra archive. Using these data, I performed a uniform statistical analysis of the PSR/PWN X-ray properties. The results, which potentially provide powerful diagnostic of the energetics and emission mechanisms of neutron stars, are presented in Chapter 3. Part II focuses on the individual observations of two middle-aged pulsars (Gemiga and B0656+14; Chapters 4 and 5), very old millisecond pulsar J0437-4715 (Chapter 6), and the enigmatic central source in the Supernova Remnant G266.2-1.2 (Chapter 7). The observations were carried out with HST and Chandra. For each of these objects, I describe the observation setups, data reduction, quantitative results (e.g., fluxes, spectra, light curves) and their astrophysical implications (e.g., origin of the observed radiation, NS surface temperature, connection between the X-ray and optical radiation).
No associations
LandOfFree
X-ray and Optical Observations of Neutron Stars and Pulsar Wind Nebulae does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with X-ray and Optical Observations of Neutron Stars and Pulsar Wind Nebulae, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and X-ray and Optical Observations of Neutron Stars and Pulsar Wind Nebulae will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1164167