The Multi-Messenger Approach to High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

The Multi-Messenger Approach to High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources
Author: Josep M. Paredes
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 496
Release: 2007-11-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 140206117X

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This book provides a theoretical and observational overview of the state of the art of gamma-ray astrophysics, and their impact and connection with the physics of cosmic rays and neutrinos. With the aim of shedding new and fresh light on the problem of the nature of the gamma-ray sources, particularly those yet unidentified, this book summarizes contributions to a workshop that continues today.

Revealing the Most Energetic Light from Pulsars and Their Nebulae

Revealing the Most Energetic Light from Pulsars and Their Nebulae
Author: David Carreto Fidalgo
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2019-07-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030241947

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This book reports on the extraordinary observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Pulsar, the most energetic light ever detected from this type of object. It presents detailed information on the painstaking analysis of the unprecedentedly large dataset from the MAGIC telescopes, and comprehensively discusses the implications of pulsed TeV gamma rays for state-of-the-art pulsar emission models. Using these results, the book subsequently explores new testing methodologies for Lorentz Invariance Violation, in terms of a wavelength-dependent speed of light. The book also covers an updated search for Very-High-Energy (VHE), >100 GeV, emissions from millisecond pulsars using the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi satellite, as well as a study on the promising Pulsar Wind Nebula candidate PSR J0631. The observation of VHE gamma rays is essential to studying the non-thermal sources of radiation in our Universe. Rotating neutron stars, also known as pulsars, are an extreme source class known to emit VHE gamma rays. However, to date only two pulsars have been detected with emissions above 100 GeV, and our understanding of their emission mechanism is still lacking.

VHE Gamma-ray Emitting Pulsar Wind Nebulae Discovered by H.E.S.S.

VHE Gamma-ray Emitting Pulsar Wind Nebulae Discovered by H.E.S.S.
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 5
Release: 2008
Genre:
ISBN:

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Recent advances in very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy have opened a new observational window on the physics of pulsars. The high sensitivity of current imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, and in particular of the H.E.S.S. array, has already led to the discovery of about a dozen VHE-emitting pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) and PWN candidates. These include the plerions in the composite supernova remnants MSH 15-52, G21.5-0.9, Kes 75, and Vela, two sources in the Kookaburra, and the nebula of PSR B1823-13. This VHE emission is generally interpreted as inverse Compton emission from the relativistic electrons and positrons accelerated by the pulsar and its wind; as such, it can yield a more direct spatial and spectral view of the accelerated particles than can be inferred from observations of their synchrotron emission. The VHE-emitting PWNe detected by the H.E.S.S. telescopes are reviewed and the implications for pulsar physics discussed.

High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems

High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems
Author: Nanda Rea
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 656
Release: 2011-02-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3642172512

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The aim of the inaugural meeting of the Sant Cugat Forum on Astrophysics was to address, in a global context, the current understanding of and challenges in high-energy emissions from isolated and non-isolated neutron stars, and to confront the theoretical picture with observations of both the Fermi satellite and the currently operating ground-based Cherenkov telescopes. Participants have also discussed the prospects for possible observations with planned instruments across the multi-wavelength spectrum (e.g. SKA, LOFAR, E-VLT, IXO, CTA) and how they will impact our theoretical understanding of these systems. In keeping with the goals of the Forum, this book not only represents the proceedings of the meeting, but also a reflection on the state-of-the-art in the topic.

Pulsar Wind Nebulae at High Energies

Pulsar Wind Nebulae at High Energies
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 122
Release: 2014
Genre:
ISBN:

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Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are the most abundant TeV gamma-ray emitters in the Milky Way. The radiative emission of these objects is powered by fast-rotating pulsars, which donate parts of their rotational energy into winds of relativistic particles. This thesis presents an in-depth study of the detected population of PWNe at high energies. To outline general trends regarding their evolutionary behaviour, a time-dependent model is introduced and compared to the available data. In particular, this work presents two exceptional PWNe which protrude from the rest of the population, namely the Crab Nebula and N 157B. Both objects are driven by pulsars with extremely high rotational energy loss rates. Accordingly, they are often referred to as energetic twins. Modelling the non-thermal multi-wavelength emission of N157B gives access to specific properties of this object, like the magnetic field inside the nebula. Comparing the derived parameters to those of the Crab Nebula reveals large intrinsic differences between the two PWNe. Possible origins of these differences are discussed in context of the resembling pulsars. Compared to the TeV gamma-ray regime, the number of detected PWNe is much smaller in the MeV-GeV gamma-ray range. In the latter range, the Crab Nebula stands out by the recent detection of gamma-ray flares. In general, the measured flux enhancements on short time scales of days to weeks were not expected in the theoretical understanding of PWNe. In this thesis, the variability of the Crab Nebula is analysed using data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT). For the presented analysis, a new gamma-ray reconstruction method is used, providing a higher sensitivity and a lower energy threshold compared to previous analyses. The derived gamma-ray light curve of the Crab Nebula is investigated for flares and periodicity. The detected flares are analysed regarding their energy spectra, and their variety and commonalities are discussed. In addition, a dedicated analysis of the flare which occurred in March 2013 is performed. The derived short-term variability time scale is roughly 6h, implying a small region inside the Crab Nebula to be responsible for the enigmatic flares. The most promising theories explaining the origins of the flux eruptions and gamma-ray variability are discussed in detail. In the technical part of this work, a new analysis framework is presented. The introduced software, called gammalib/ctools, is currently being developed for the future CTA observa- tory. The analysis framework is extensively tested using data from the H. E. S. S. experiment. To conduct proper data analysis in the likelihood framework of gammalib/ctools, a model describing the distribution of background events in H.E.S.S. data is presented. The software provides the infrastructure to combine data from several instruments in one analysis. To study the gamma-ray emitting PWN population, data from Fermi-LAT and H. E. S. S. are combined in the likelihood framework of gammalib/ctools. In particular, the spectral peak, which usually lies in the overlap energy regime between these two instruments, is determined with the presented analysis framework. The derived measurements are compared to the predictions from the time-dependent model. The combined analysis supports the conclusion of a diverse population of gamma-ray emitting PWNe.

Modelling Pulsar Wind Nebulae

Modelling Pulsar Wind Nebulae
Author: Diego F. Torres
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2017-11-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319630318

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In view of the current and forthcoming observational data on pulsar wind nebulae, this book offers an assessment of the theoretical state of the art of modelling them. The expert authors also review the observational status of the field and provide an outlook for future developments. During the last few years, significant progress on the study of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) has been attained both from a theoretical and an observational perspective, perhaps focusing on the closest, more energetic, and best studied nebula: the Crab, which appears in the cover. Now, the number of TeV detected PWNe is similar to the number of characterized nebulae observed at other frequencies over decades of observations. And in just a few years, the Cherenkov Telescope Array will increase this number to several hundreds, actually providing an essentially complete account of TeV emitting PWNe in the Galaxy. At the other end of the multi-frequency spectrum, the SKA and its pathfinder instruments, will reveal thousands of new pulsars, and map in exquisite detail the radiation surrounding them for several hundreds of nebulae. By carefully reviewing the state of the art in pulsar nebula research this book prepares scientists and PhD students for future work and progress in the field.

The Search For Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the Very High Energy Gamma-ray Regime

The Search For Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the Very High Energy Gamma-ray Regime
Author: Dominic Robert Keogh
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2010
Genre: Gamma ray astronomy
ISBN:

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The aim of this Thesis is to study the development of pulsar wind nebulae in the TeV regime and in doing so uncover more sources which have as yet not been observed at these wavelengths. It is found that the extent of pulsar wind nebula in the TeV gamma-ray increases with its age while no developmental relationship is seen concerning the luminosity or spectral index of the nebulae when observed in the TeV gamma-ray regime due to uncertainties in the measurements available. TeV gamma-ray upper limits are calculated for several nebulae observed in the X-ray regime allowing the strength of their magnetic fields to be constrained but only one new source, which was previously confused with its companion, was discovered, the Eel Nebula. Predictions of the fluxes of many of the sources for which upper limits are derived in this work have been calculated from observations of their emission in X-rays and some of these sources should be uncovered with the next generation CTA instrument.

Science With The Cherenkov Telescope Array

Science With The Cherenkov Telescope Array
Author: The Cta Consortium
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2018-12-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9813270101

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This book summarizes the science to be carried out by the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array, a major ground-based gamma-ray observatory that will be constructed over the next six to eight years. The major scientific themes, as well as core program of key science projects, have been developed by the CTA Consortium, a collaboration of scientists from many institutions worldwide.CTA will be the major facility in high-energy and very high-energy photon astronomy over the next decade and beyond. CTA will have capabilities well beyond past and present observatories. Thus, CTA's science program is expected to be rich and broad and will complement other major multiwavelength and multimessenger facilities. This book is intended to be the primary resource for the science case for CTA and it thus will be of great interest to the broader physics and astronomy communities. The electronic version (e-book) is available in open access.

Particle Populations and High Energy Emission in Pulsar Wind Nebulae

Particle Populations and High Energy Emission in Pulsar Wind Nebulae
Author: Albert Adam Van Etten
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2012
Genre:
ISBN:

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Energetic particles streaming out from rapidly spinning neutron stars radiate across the electromagnetic spectrum, creating a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). Many PWNe are spatially resolved in the radio, X-ray, and even gamma-ray wavebands, and thereby provide an excellent laboratory to study not only pulsar winds and dynamics, but also shock processes, magnetic field evolution, and particle transport. Single-zone spectral energy distribution (SED) models have long been used to study the global properties of PWNe, but to fully take advantage of high spatial resolution data one must move beyond these simple models. Supported by multiple X-ray PWN observations, we describe multi-zone time-dependent SED model fitting, with particular emphasis on the spatial variations within nebulae. The SED model constrains the wind velocity profile, magnetic field profile, age and spin-down history of the central pulsar, and the PWN injection spectrum. These constraints are of great value to the study of the gamma-ray pulsar population, and to investigations of particle acceleration and the cosmic ray spectrum. The large size of many PWNe in the very high energy gamma-ray (TeV) regime is indicative of significant particle transport over the pulsar lifetime, and in the case study of HESS J1825-137 we find that rapid diffusion of high energy particles is required to match the multi-wavelength data.