The Structure, Polarization, and Evolution of the Crab Synchrotron Nebula

Details The Structure, Polarization, and Evolution of the Crab Synchrotron Nebula The Structure, Polarization, and Evolution of the Crab Synchrotron Nebula

Jul 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995hst..prop.6129h&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #6129

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #6129 Interstellar Medium

Scientific paper

The morphology, evolution, polarization, and spectral index variations in the synchrotron nebula surrounding the Crab pulsar have been the subject of intensive study for decades. It is generally accepted that the structure and activity in this region are due to wave phenomena near the termination shock of the pulsar wind, observations of which hold unique promise of leading to more complete models of the pulsar and its magnetosphere. Unfortunately, this promise has not been fulfilled, largely because of the low spatial resolution and uneven temporal coverage of existing studies. Recent HST WFPC2 observations of the Crab synchrotron nebula (Scowen et al 1994; Hester et al 1994a,b) offer new hope in this quest. These data, which reach the natural size scale defined by the Larmor radius of energetic electrons, resolve the majority of the the known features in the Crab. For the first time it is possible to reliably establish the physical conditions (e.g., emissivities, equipartition fields, and pressures) of features associated with the wind and its termination shock. In addition the HST has probed the structure of the nebula very close to the pulsar itself, leading to the exciting discovery of a bright knot located only 1300 AU above the SE pole of the pulsar. We propose to use the WFPC2 to continue this investigation by exploring the time evolution, polarization, and spectral index variations within the pulsar's environment on what current theory indicates are the relevant spatial and

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