3,944 research outputs found
Chandra and RXTE studies of the X-ray/gamma-ray millisecond pulsar PSR J0218+4232
We report on high-resolution spatial and timing observations of the
millisecond pulsar PSR J0218+4232 performed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory
(CXO) and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). With these observations we
were able to study a) the possible spatial extent at X-ray energies of the DC
source coincident with PSR J0218+4232 in detail (CXO), b) the relative phasing
between the X-ray, radio and gamma-ray profiles (CXO and RXTE) and c) the
spectral properties at energies beyond 10 keV (RXTE). We found no indications
for extended emission at X-ray energies down to ~ 1 arcsec scales and confirmed
the presence of a point-like DC-component. The 2 non-thermal pulses in the
X-ray profile are found to be aligned with 2 of the 3 pulses visible at
radio-frequencies and more importantly with the two gamma-ray pulses seen in
the EGRET 100-1000 MeV pulse profile. The latter reduces now the random
occurrence probability for the detected gamma-ray signal to ~ 1.E-6, which
corresponds to a 4.9 sigma detection significance.Comment: 8 pages,7 figures, accepted for publication in Adv Sp Res:
Proceedings of the 34th COSPAR Scientific Assembly held in Housto
The Fermi LAT detection of magnetar-like pulsar PSR J1846-0258 at high-energy gamma-rays
We report the detection of the pulsed signal of the radio-quiet magnetar-like
pulsar PSR J1846-0258 in the high-energy \gr-ray data of the Fermi Large Area
Telescope (Fermi LAT). We produced phase-coherent timing models exploiting RXTE
PCA and Swift XRT monitoring data for the post- (magnetar-like) outburst period
from 2007 August 28 to 2016 September 4, with independent verification using
INTEGRAL ISGRI and Fermi GBM data. Phase-folding barycentric arrival times of
selected Fermi LAT events from PSR J1846-0258, resulted in a 4.2 sigma
detection (30--100 MeV) of a broad pulse consistent in shape and aligned in
phase with the profiles that we measured with Swift XRT (2.5--10 keV), INTEGRAL
ISGRI (20--150 keV) and Fermi GBM (20--300 keV). The pulsed flux (30--100 MeV)
is (3.91 +/- 0.97)E-9 photons/(cm^2 s MeV). Declining significances of the
INTEGRAL ISGRI 20--150 keV pulse profiles suggest fading of the pulsed hard
X-ray emission during the post-outburst epochs. We revisited with greatly
improved statistics the timing and spectral characteristics of PSR B1509-58 as
measured with the Fermi LAT. The broad-band pulsed emission spectra (from 2 keV
up to GeV energies) of PSR J1846-0258 and PSR B1509-58 can be accurately
described with similarly curved shapes, with maximum luminosities at 3.5 +/-
1.1 MeV (PSR J1846-0258) and 2.23 +/- 0.11 MeV (PSR B1509-58). We discuss
possible explanations for observational differences between Fermi LAT detected
pulsars that reach maximum luminosities at GeV energies, like the second
magnetar-like pulsar PSR J1119-6127, and pulsars with maximum luminosities at
MeV energies, which might be due to geometric differences rather than exotic
physics in high-B fields.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted by MNRAS on 2017 November 3
Giant Pulses from the Millisecond Pulsar B1821-24
We have carried out a survey for `giant pulses' in 5 millisecond pulsars. We
detect individual pulses from the high Edot pulsar PSR B1821-24 with energies
exceeding 50x the mean pulse energy. These giant pulses are concentrated in a
narrow phase window coincident with the power-law non-thermal pulse seen in
hard X-rays. This is the third example of the giant pulse phenomenon. It
supports the idea that large B fields in the outer magnetosphere are critical
to the formation of such pulses and further suggests a direct connection
between giant pulses and high energy emission.Comment: 6pp, 3 figures. To Appear in ApJ Letters, Vol 55
Solar comparison spectra, 1.0-2.5 mu, from altitudes 1.5-12.5 km
Solar and telluric infrared spectra from altitudes between 1.5 and 12.5 k
Pulsar spin-down: the glitch-dominated rotation of PSR J0537-6910
The young, fast-spinning, X-ray pulsar J0537-6910 displays an extreme glitch
activity, with large spin-ups interrupting its decelerating rotation every ~100
days. We present nearly 13 years of timing data from this pulsar, obtained with
the {\it Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer}. We discovered 22 new glitches and
performed a consistent analysis of all 45 glitches detected in the complete
data span. Our results corroborate the previously reported strong correlation
between glitch spin-up size and the time to the next glitch, a relation that
has not been observed so far in any other pulsar. The spin evolution is
dominated by the glitches, which occur at a rate ~3.5 per year, and the
post-glitch recoveries, which prevail the entire inter-glitch intervals. This
distinctive behaviour provides invaluable insights into the physics of
glitches. The observations can be explained with a multi-component model which
accounts for the dynamics of the neutron superfluid present in the crust and
core of neutron stars. We place limits on the moment of inertia of the
component responsible for the spin-up and, ignoring differential rotation, the
velocity difference it can sustain with the crust. Contrary to its rapid
decrease between glitches, the spin-down rate increased over the 13 years, and
we find the long-term braking index , the only negative
braking index seen in a young pulsar. We briefly discuss the plausible
interpretations of this result, which is in stark contrast to the predictions
of standard models of pulsar spin-down.Comment: Minor changes to match the MNRAS accepted versio
The 2-10 keV emission properties of PSR B1937+21
We present the results of a BeppoSAX observation of the fastest pulsar known:
PSR B1937+21. The ~ 200 ks observation (78.5 (34) ks MECS (LECS) exposure
times) allowed us to investigate with high statistical significance both the
spectral properties and the pulse profile shape. The absorbed power law
spectral model gave a photon index of ~ 1.7 and N_H ~ 2.3 x 10^22 cm^-2. These
values explain both a) the ROSAT non-detection and b) the deviant estimate of a
photon index of ~ 0.8 obtained by ASCA. The pulse profile appears, for the
first time, clearly double peaked with the main component much stronger than
the other. The statistical significance is 10 sigma (main peak) and 5 sigma
(secondary peak). The 1.6-10 keV pulsed fraction is consistent with 100%; only
in the 1.6-4 keV band there is a ~ 2 sigma indication for a DC component. The
secondary peak is detected significantly only for energies above 3 / 4 keV. The
unabsorbed (2-10 keV) flux is F_2-10 = 3.7 x 10^-13 erg cm^-2 s^-1, implying a
luminosity of L_X = 4.6 x 10^31 Theta (d/3.6 kpc)^2 erg s^-1 and an X-ray
efficiency of eta = 4 x 10^-5 Theta, where Theta is the solid angle spanned by
the emission beam. These results are in agreement with those obtained by ASCA.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. To appear in the Proceedings of the
270. WE-Heraeus Seminar on Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Supernova Remnants,
Jan. 21-25, 2002, Physikzentrum Bad Honnef, eds W. Becker, H. Lesch & J.
Truemper. Proceedings are available as MPE-Report 27
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