Inverse Compton Emission of TeV Gamma Rays from PSR B1259-63

Abstract

We derive light curves for the hard fl-ray emission, at energies up to several TeV, expected from the unique pulsar/Be-star binary system PSR B1259\Gamma63. This is the only known system in our galaxy in which a radio pulsar is orbiting a main sequence star. We show that inverse Compton emission from the electrons and positrons in the shocked pulsar wind, scattering target photons from the Be star, produces a flux of hard fl-rays that should be above the sensitivity threshold of present day atmospheric Cerenkov detectors. Furthermore, we predict that the flux of hard fl- rays produced via this mechanism has a characteristic variation with orbital phase that should be observable, and which is not expected from any other mechanism, Keywords: Pulsars; inverse Compton scattering; gamma-rays; Cerenkov telescopes PACS: 95.30Gv, 95.55KaX, 97.60Gb 1 Introduction Pulsars are thought to lose their rotational energy by driving a relativistic wind of electrons, positrons and possibly ions. The r..