Gamma-rays from pulsars

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157862· OSTI ID:5329189

Ayasli, S; OGelman, K

A mechanism for the production of ..gamma..-rays in pulsars based on the ''outer gap'' model of Cheng, Ruderman, and Sutherland is devised. It is shown that outer-gap breakdowns through curvature-radiation--pair-production cascades can explain the observed ..gamma..-ray emission of pulsars. The corresponding ..gamma..-ray spectrum and luminosity formulae are derived in terms of pulsar parameters. The conditions which govern the shape of the spectrum at high photon energies are discussed. The results are applied to the Crab and Vela pulsars, and a good agreement with the observations is achieved. Finally, a relation between the ..gamma..-ray efficiency and the apparent pulsar age is obtained. The predicted relation eta/sub y/proportionaltau/sup 1.5/ is shown to fit well to the observations.

• Research Organization: Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 5329189
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 237:1; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
CRAB NEBULA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION
ENERGY SPECTRA
GAMMA SPECTRA
INTERACTIONS
LUMINOSITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEBULAE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PAIR PRODUCTION
PHOTONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PULSARS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
STAR MODELS
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION