{ital Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer} Observation of PSR B0656+14

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1999 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/306583· OSTI ID:324914

Chang, H ^[1]; Ho, C ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30043, Taiwan, Republic of (China)
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS D436, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

PSR B0656+14 was observed by the {ital Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer} ({ital RXTE}) with the proportional counter array (PCA) and the high-energy X-ray timing experiment (HEXTE) for 160 ks during 1997 August 22{endash}September 3. No pulsation was firmly found in the timing analysis, during which the contemporaneous radio ephemeris and various statistical tests were applied in searching for evidence of pulsation. A marginal detection of pulsation at a confidence level of 95.5{percent} based on the {ital H} test was found with data in the whole HEXTE energy band. In the energy band of 2{endash}10 keV the {ital RXTE} PCA upper limits are about 1 order of magnitude lower than that from {ital ASCA} GIS data. If the {ital Compton Gamma Ray Observatory} EGRET detection of this pulsar is real, considering the common trait that most EGRET-detected pulsars have a cooling spectrum in hard X-ray and gamma-ray energy bands, the estimated {ital RXTE} upper limits indicate a deviation (low-energy turnover) from a cooling spectrum starting from 20 keV or higher. This in turn suggests an outer magnetospheric synchrotron radiation origin for high-energy emissions from PSR B0656+14. The {ital RXTE} PCA upper limits also suggest that a reported power-law component based on {ital ASCA} SIS data in 1{endash}10 keV fitted jointly with {ital ROSAT} data, if real, should be mainly unpulsed. {copyright} {ital {copyright} 1999.} {ital The American Astronomical Society}

• OSTI ID: 324914
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 510; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
PSR B0656+14
PULSARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
X-RAY SPECTRA