Gamma-ray emission from millisecond pulsars - an Outergap perspective

Cheng, Kwong Sang The Korean Space Science Society 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.3

In this review paper we explain the following gamma-ray emission features from the millisecond pulsars. (1) Why is the dipolar field of millisecond pulsars so weak but the magnetic pair creation process may still be able to control the size of the outergap? (2) A sub-GeV pulse component could occur in the vicinity of the radio pulse of millisecond pulsars. (3) Orbital modulated gamma-rays should exist in the black widow systems for large viewing angle.

Gamma-ray emission from millisecond pulsars - an Outergap perspective

Kwong Sang Cheng 한국우주과학회 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.3

In this review paper we explain the following gamma-ray emission features from the millisecond pulsars. (1) Why is the dipolar field of millisecond pulsars so weak but the magnetic pair creation process may still be able to control the size of the outergap? (2) A sub-GeV pulse component could occur in the vicinity of the radio pulse of millisecond pulsars. (3) Orbital modulated gamma-rays should exist in the black widow systems for large viewing angle.

Theoretical Study of Gamma-ray Pulsars

Yuzhe Song,Kwong Sang Cheng,Jumpei Takata 한국우주과학회 2016 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.33 No.2

We use the non-stationary three dimensional two-layer outer gap model to explain gamma-ray emissions from a pulsar magnetosphere. We found out that for some pulsars like the Geminga pulsar, it was hard to explain emissions above a level of around 1 GeV. We then developed the model into a non-stationary model. In this model we assigned a power-law distribution to one or more of the spectral parameters proposed in the previous model and calculated the weighted phaseaveraged spectrum. Though this model is suitable for some pulsars, it still cannot explain the high energy emission of the Geminga pulsar. An Inverse-Compton Scattering component between the primary particles and the radio photons in the outer magnetosphere was introduced into the model, and this component produced a sufficient number of GeV photons in the spectrum of the Geminga pulsar.

Probing Gamma-ray Emission of Geminga and Vela with Non-stationary Models

Yating Chai,Kwong Sang Cheng,Jumpei Takata 한국우주과학회 2016 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.33 No.2

It is generally believed that the high energy emissions from isolated pulsars are emitted from relativistic electrons/positrons accelerated in outer magnetospheric accelerators (outergaps) via a curvature radiation mechanism, which has a simple exponential cut-off spectrum. However, many gamma-ray pulsars detected by the Fermi LAT (Large Area Telescope) cannot be fitted by simple exponential cut-off spectrum, and instead a sub-exponential is more appropriate. It is proposed that the realistic outergaps are non-stationary, and that the observed spectrum is a superposition of different stationary states that are controlled by the currents injected from the inner and outer boundaries. The Vela and Geminga pulsars have the largest fluxes among all targets observed, which allows us to carry out very detailed phase-resolved spectral analysis. We have divided the Vela and Geminga pulsars into 19 (the off pulse of Vela was not included) and 33 phase bins, respectively. We find that most phase resolved spectra still cannot be fitted by a simple exponential spectrum: in fact, a sub-exponential spectrum is necessary. We conclude that non-stationary states exist even down to the very fine phase bins.

Exploring the Extra Component in the Gamma-ray Emission of the New Redback Candidate 3FGL J2039.6-5618

Cho-Wing Ng,Kwong Sang Cheng,Jumpei Takata 한국우주과학회 2016 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.33 No.2

A redback system is a binary system composed of a pulsar and a main sequence star. The inverse Compton (IC) scattering between the stellar soft photons and the relativistic pulsar wind will generate orbital-modulating GeV photons. We look for these IC emissions from redback systems. A multi-wavelength observation of an unassociated gamma-ray source, 3FGL J2039.6-5618, by Salvetti et al. (2015) detected an orbital modulation with a period of 0.2 days in both X-ray and optical cases. They suggested 3FGL J2039.6-5618 to be a new redback candidate. We analyzed the gamma-ray emission of 3FGL J2039.6-5618 using the data from the Fermi large area telescope (Fermi-LAT) and obtained the spectrum in different orbital phases. We propose that the spectrum has orbital dependency and estimate the characteristic energy of the IC emission from the stellar-pulsar wind interaction.

Mechanism of the X-ray and Soft Gamma-ray Emissions from the High Magnetic Field Pulsar: PSR B1509-58

Wang, Yu,Takata, Jumpei,Cheng, Kwong Sang 한국우주과학회 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.2

We use the outer gap model to explain the spectrum and the energy dependent light curves of the X-ray and soft γ-rayradiations of the spin-down powered pulsar PSR B1509-58. In the outer gap model, most pairs inside the gap are createdaround the null charge surface and the gap’s electric field separates the opposite charges to move in opposite directions.Consequently, the region from the null charge surface to the light cylinder is dominated by the outflow current and that fromthe null charge surface to the star is dominated by the inflow current. We suggest that the viewing angle of PSR B1509-58 onlyreceives the inflow radiation. The incoming curvature photons are converted to pairs by the strong magnetic field of the star.The X-rays and soft γ-rays of PSR B1509-58 result from the synchrotron radiation of these pairs. The magnetic pair creationrequires a large pitch angle, which makes the pulse profile of the synchrotron radiation distinct from that of the curvatureradiation. We carefully trace the pulse profiles of the synchrotron radiation with different pitch angles. We find that thedifferences between the light curves of different energy bands are due to the different pitch angles of the secondary pairs, andthe second peak appearing at E > 10 MeV comes from the region near the star, where the stronger magnetic field allows thepair creation to happen with a smaller pitch angle.

Mechanism of the X-ray and Soft Gamma-ray Emissions from the High Magnetic Field Pulsar: PSR B1509-58

Yu Wang,Jumpei Takata,Kwong Sang Cheng 한국우주과학회 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.2

We use the outer gap model to explain the spectrum and the energy dependent light curves of the X-ray and soft γ-ray radiations of the spin-down powered pulsar PSR B1509-58. In the outer gap model, most pairs inside the gap are created around the null charge surface and the gap’s electric field separates the opposite charges to move in opposite directions. Consequently, the region from the null charge surface to the light cylinder is dominated by the outflow current and that from the null charge surface to the star is dominated by the inflow current. We suggest that the viewing angle of PSR B1509-58 only receives the inflow radiation. The incoming curvature photons are converted to pairs by the strong magnetic field of the star. The X-rays and soft γ-rays of PSR B1509-58 result from the synchrotron radiation of these pairs. The magnetic pair creation requires a large pitch angle, which makes the pulse profile of the synchrotron radiation distinct from that of the curvature radiation. We carefully trace the pulse profiles of the synchrotron radiation with different pitch angles. We find that the differences between the light curves of different energy bands are due to the different pitch angles of the secondary pairs, and the second peak appearing at E > 10 MeV comes from the region near the star, where the stronger magnetic field allows the pair creation to happen with a smaller pitch angle.

Pulsed γ-ray emission from magnetar 1E 2259+586

Jason Hung Kit Wu,허종우,Regina Hsiu Hui Huang,Albert Kwok Hing Kong,Kwong Sang Cheng,Jumpei Takata,Pak Hin Thomas Tam,Eric Man Ho Wu,Joe Liu 한국우주과학회 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.2

Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) are thought to be magnetars which are young isolated neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields of >1014 Gauss. Their tremendous magnetic fields inferred from the spin parameters provide a huge energy reservoir to power the observed X-ray emission. High-energy emission above 0.3 MeV has never been detected despite intensive search. Here, we present the possible Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) detection of γ-ray pulsations above 200MeV from the AXP, 1E 2259+586, which puts the current theoretical models of γ-ray emission mechanisms of magnetars into challenge. We speculate that the high-energy γ-rays originate from the outer magnetosphere of the magnetar.

Pulsed γ-ray emission from magnetar 1E 2259+586

Wu, Jason Hung Kit,Hui, Chung Yue,Huang, Regina Hsiu Hui,Kong, Albert Kwok Hing,Cheng, Kwong Sang,Takata, Jumpei,Tam, Pak Hin Thomas,Wu, Eric Man Ho,Liu, Joe 한국우주과학회 2013 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.30 No.2

Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) are thought to be magnetars which are young isolated neutron stars with extremely strongmagnetic fields of >1014 Gauss. Their tremendous magnetic fields inferred from the spin parameters provide a huge energyreservoir to power the observed X-ray emission. High-energy emission above 0.3 MeV has never been detected despiteintensive search. Here, we present the possible Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) detection of γ-ray pulsations above 200MeV from the AXP, 1E 2259+586, which puts the current theoretical models of γ-ray emission mechanisms of magnetars intochallenge. We speculate that the high-energy γ-rays originate from the outer magnetosphere of the magnetar.