Observation of pulsed hard X-rays/gamma-rays from PSR 1509-58

Details Observation of pulsed hard X-rays/gamma-rays from PSR 1509-58 Observation of pulsed hard X-rays/gamma-rays from PSR 1509-58

Jun 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994apj...428..284g&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 428, no. 1, p. 284-291

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

25

Energy Conversion Efficiency, Gamma Ray Astronomy, Gamma Rays, Pulsars, Rotating Bodies, Unsteady Flow, X Ray Astronomy, X Ray Stars, Balloon-Borne Instruments, Energy Spectra, Ginga Satellite, Radio Sources (Astronomy), Stellar Models

Scientific paper

We observed a young rotation-powered pulsar, PSR 1509-58, in the hard X-ray/gamma-ray or the soft gamma-ray band with a balloon-borne detector in Brazil on 1991 November 19 (UT). With a timing analysis we detected pulsations in the energy band 94-240 keV at the 150.687 ms period determined from radio observations. The pulsating flux is (7.1 +/- 1.7) x 10-4 per sq cm per sec in this band, and the energy spectrum follows a power law with photon index alpha = 1.64 +/- 0.4. The averaged pulse profile shows a broad single peak with a sharp rise and has a duty cycle around 50% or higher: these features are similar to what have been observed in the X-ray band by the Ginga satellite. Based on the data available now, the fraction of energy transformed from rotational energy loss to pulsed/nonpulsed soft gamma-ray radiation is estimated. If the solid angle swept by the pulsed beam is about the same as for the Crab pulsar (PSR 0531+21) and the Vela pulsar (PSR 0833-45), PSR 1509-58 turn out to be an extremely efficient pulsar, converting a large fraction of its rotational energy loss to radiation, as the outer gap model predicts. The observed pulsed spectrum, however, is strong in the soft gamma-ray band, in a sharp contrast to what has been observed in the Vela pulsar, a pulsar expected to be similar PSR 1509-58 in the outer gap model. The fact that the pulse profile remains broad and single-peaked in the soft gamma-ray band is also new for Crab-like pulsars. In these regards, PSR 1509-58 may require some alteration to the standard outer gap model or even a new model for gamma-ray emission in pulsars.

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