212 research outputs found
Recent H-alpha results on pulsar B2224+65's bow-shock nebula, the "Guitar"
We used the 4 m Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) at Lowell observatory in 2014 to observe the Guitar Nebula, an Hα bow-shock nebula around the high-velocity radio pulsar B2224+65. Since the nebula`s discovery in 1992, the structure of the bow-shock has undergone significant dynamical changes. We have observed the limb structure, targeting the "body" and "neck" of the guitar. Comparing the DCT observations to 1995 observations with the Palomar 200-inch Hale telescope, we found changes in both spatial structure and surface brightness in the tip, head, and body of the nebula
Systematic and Stochastic Variations in Pulsar Dispersion Measures
We analyze deterministic and random temporal variations in dispersion measure
(DM) from the full three-dimensional velocities of pulsars with respect to the
solar system, combined with electron-density variations on a wide range of
length scales. Previous treatments have largely ignored the pulsar's changing
distance while favoring interpretations involving the change in sky position
from transverse motion. Linear trends in pulsar DMs seen over 5-10~year
timescales may signify sizable DM gradients in the interstellar medium (ISM)
sampled by the changing direction of the line of sight to the pulsar. We show
that motions parallel to the line of sight can also account for linear trends,
for the apparent excess of DM variance over that extrapolated from
scintillation measurements, and for the apparent non-Kolmogorov scalings of DM
structure functions inferred in some cases. Pulsar motions through atomic gas
may produce bow-shock ionized gas that also contributes to DM variations. We
discuss possible causes of periodic or quasi-periodic changes in DM, including
seasonal changes in the ionosphere, annual variation of the solar elongation
angle, structure in the heliosphere-ISM boundary, and substructure in the ISM.
We assess the solar cycle's role on the amplitude of ionospheric and solar-wind
variations. Interstellar refraction can produce cyclic timing variations from
the error in transforming arrival times to the solar system barycenter. We
apply our methods to DM time series and DM gradient measurements in the
literature and assess consistency with a Kolmogorov medium. Finally, we discuss
the implications of DM modeling in precision pulsar timing experiments.Comment: 24 pages, 17 figures, published in Ap
Discovery of the X-ray Counterpart to the Rotating Radio Transient J1819--1458
We present the discovery of the first X-ray counterpart to a Rotating RAdio Transient (RRAT) source. RRAT J1819--1458 is a relatively highly magnetized (B G) member of a new class of unusual pulsar-like objects discovered by their bursting activity at radio wavelengths. The position of RRAT J1819--1458 was serendipitously observed by the {\sl Chandra} ACIS-I camera in 2005 May. At that position we have discovered a pointlike source, CXOU J181934.1--145804, with a soft spectrum well fit by an absorbed blackbody with cm and temperature keV, having an unabsorbed flux of ergs cm s between 0.5 and 8 keV. No optical or infrared (IR) counterparts are visible within of our X-ray position. The positional coincidence, spectral properties, and lack of an optical/IR counterpart make it highly likely that CXOU J181934.1--145804 is a neutron star and is the same object as RRAT J1819--1458. The source showed no variability on any timescale from the pulse period of 4.26~s up to the five-day window covered by the observations, although our limits (especially for pulsations) are not particularly constraining. The X-ray properties of CXOU J181934.1--145804, while not yet measured to high precision, are similar to those of comparably-aged radio pulsars and are consistent with thermal emission from a cooling neutron star
Galactic Center Pulsars with the ngVLA
Pulsars in the Galactic Center (GC) are important probes of General
Relativity, star formation, stellar dynamics, stellar evolution, and the
interstellar medium. Despite years of searching, only a handful of pulsars in
the central 0.5 deg are known. The high-frequency sensitivity of ngVLA will
open a new window for discovery and characterization of pulsars in the GC. A
pulsar in orbit around the GC black hole, Sgr A*, will provide an unprecedented
probe of black hole physics and General Relativity.Comment: To be published in the ASP Monograph Series, "Science with a
Next-Generation VLA", ed. E. J. Murphy (ASP, San Francisco, CA
Spatial, Temporal and Spectral Properties of X-ray Emission from the Magnetar SGR~0501+4516
SGR~0501+4516 was discovered with the Swift satellite on 2008 August 22,
after it emitted a series of very energetic bursts. Since then, the source was
extensively monitored with Swift, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and
observed with Chandra and XMM-Newton, providing a wealth of information about
its outburst behavior and burst induced changes of its persistent X-ray
emission. Here we report the most accurate location of SGR~0501+4516 (with an
accuracy of 0.11'') derived with Chandra. Using the combined RXTE, Swift/X-ray
Telescope, Chandra and XMM-Newton observations we construct a phase connected
timing solution with the longest time baseline (~240 days) to date for the
source. We find that the pulse profile of the source is energy dependent and
exhibits remarkable variations associated with the SGR~0501+4516 bursting
activity. We also find significant spectral evolution (hardening) of the source
persistent emission associated with bursts. Finally, we discuss the
consequences of the SGR~0501+4516 proximity to the supernova remnant, SNR
G160.9+2.6 (HB9).Comment: Accepted for publication in the Ap
Fast Radio Burst Tomography of the Unseen Universe
The discovery of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) at cosmological distances has
opened a powerful window on otherwise unseen matter in the Universe. In the
2020s, observations of FRBs will assess the baryon contents and
physical conditions in the hot/diffuse circumgalactic, intracluster, and
intergalactic medium, and test extant compact-object dark matter models.Comment: Science white paper submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. 15
pages, 3 color figure
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