FERMI STUDY OF 5–300 GeV EMISSION FROM THE HIGH-MASS PULSAR BINARY PSR B1259-63/LS 2883
- Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)
- Physics Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)
We report the results from our detailed analysis of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data for the pulsar binary PSR B1259−63/LS 2883. During the GeV flares that occurred when the pulsar was in the periastron passages, we have detected a 5–300 GeV component at ≃5 σ in emission from the binary. The detection verifies the presence of the component that has been marginally found in previous studies of the binary. Furthermore, we have discovered that this component was marginally present even in the quiescent state of the binary, specifically the mean anomaly phase 0.7–0.9. The component can be described by a power law with a photon index Γ ∼ 1.4, and the flux in the flares is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that in quiescence. We discuss the origin of this component. It likely arises from the inverse-Compton process: due to the interaction between the winds from the pulsar and its massive companion, high-energy particles from the shock scatter the seed photons from the companion to GeV/TeV energies. Based on this scenario, model fits to the broad-band X-ray to TeV spectra of the binary in the flaring and quiescent states are provided.
- OSTI ID:
- 22667461
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 828, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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