High-Energy Radiation from Magnetized Neutron Stars PDF Download

Author: Peter Mészáros
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226520940
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 550

View

Book Description
Neutron stars, the most extreme state of matter yet confirmed, are responsible for much of the high-energy radiation detected in the universe. Mèszàros provides a general overview of the physics of magnetized neutron stars, discusses in detail the radiation processes and transport properties relevant to the production and propagation of high-energy radiation in the outer layers of these objects, and reviews the observational properties and theoretical models of various types of neutron star sources.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description

Author: Peter Mészáros
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226520933
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 560

View

Book Description
Neutron stars, the most extreme state of matter yet confirmed, are responsible for much of the high-energy radiation detected in the universe. Mèszàros provides a general overview of the physics of magnetized neutron stars, discusses in detail the radiation processes and transport properties relevant to the production and propagation of high-energy radiation in the outer layers of these objects, and reviews the observational properties and theoretical models of various types of neutron star sources.

Author: Altan Baykal
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402038615
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 383

View

Book Description
Neutron stars hold a central place in astrophysics, not only because they are made up of the most extreme states of the condensed matter, but also because they are, along with white dwarfs and black holes, one of the stable configurations that stars reach at the end of stellar evolution. Neutron stars posses the highest rotation rates and strongest magnetic fields among all stars. They radiate prolifically, in high energy electromagnetic radiation and in the radio band. This book is devoted to the selected lectures presented in the 6th NATO-ASI series entitled "The Electromagnetic Spectrum of Neutron Stars" in Marmaris, Turkey, on 7-18 June 2004. This ASI is devoted to the spectral properties of neutron stars. Spectral observations of neutron stars help us to understand the magnetospheric emission processes of isolated radio pulsars and the emission processes of accreting neutron stars. This volume includes spectral information from the neutron stars in broadest sense, namely neutrino and gravitational radiation along with the electromagnetic spectrum. We believe that this volume can serve as graduate level of text including the broad range of properties of neutron stars.

Author: Scott Olausen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description
"Over the past few decades, advances in X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy have greatly expanded our knowledge of the neutron-star family. One important recent discovery has been that of the "magnetars," isolated neutron stars whose radiation and occasional bursting activity is thought to be powered by their very high magnetic fields (10^14-10^15 G as inferred from timing), unlike ordinary pulsars that are powered by their rotational energy. There do, however, exist rotation-powered pulsars with inferred magnetic fields that approach those of the magnetars (~10^13 G). These two groups might therefore be expected to show some similarities in their properties or behaviour. Careful study of both the high-magnetic-field pulsars and magnetars, then, may help us to understand magnetar physics and determine their relations and connections with the rest of the pulsar population.In Chapter 3, I present the results of two XMM-Newton observations of the high-magnetic-field radio pulsar PSR J1734-3333. We successfully detect the X-ray counterpart of the pulsar. Its spectrum fits well to a blackbody with temperature 300 +/- 60 eV, and its bolometric luminosity is L_bb = 2.0 x 10^32 erg/s, or ~0.4% of its spin-down power, for a distance of 6.1 kpc. We detect no X-ray pulsations from the source, setting a 1 sigma upper limit on the pulsed fraction of 60% in the 0.5-3 keV band. We compare PSR J1734-3333 to other rotation-powered pulsars of similar age and find that it is significantly hotter, supporting the hypothesis that the magnetic field affects the observed thermal properties of pulsars. We also tabulate the properties of this and all other known high-B radio pulsars with measured thermal X-ray luminosities or luminosity upper limits, and speculate on a possible correlation between L_X and B.In Chapter 4, I present an analysis of the extended emission around the magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408. Based on four XMM-Newton observations taken with the source in various stages from outburst to quiescence, we find that the extended emission flux is highly variable and strongly correlated with the flux of the magnetar. From this result, as well as spectral and energetic considerations, we conclude that the extended emission is dominated by a dust-scattering halo and not a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), as has been previously argued. We obtain an upper limit on the 2-10 keV flux of a possible PWN of 4.7 x 10^-14 erg/s/cm^2, three times less than the previously claimed value. We do, however, find strong evidence for X-ray emission from a supernova remnant surrounding the pulsar, as previously reported.Finally, I present a study of the magnetar population as a whole in Chapter 5, with a catalog of the 26 currently known magnetars and magnetar candidates. Tables are provided of astrometric and timing data for all catalog sources, as well as of their observed radiative properties, particularly the spectral parameters of the quiescent X-ray emission. We show histograms of the spatial and timing properties of the magnetars and compare them with the known pulsar population. We measure the scale height of magnetars to be in the range of 20-31 pc, assuming they are exponentially distributed. This range is smaller than that measured for OB stars, providing evidence that magnetars are born from the most massive O stars. From the same fits, we find that the Sun lies ~13-22 pc above the Galactic plane, consistent with previous measurements. We confirm previously identified correlations between quiescent X-ray luminosity, L_X, and magnetic field, B, as well as X-ray spectral power-law indexes, Gamma and B, and show evidence for an excluded region in a plot of L_X versus Gamma. We observe that while there is a clear correlation between the hard and soft X-ray fluxes in magnetars, the radio-detected magnetars all have low, soft X-ray flux, suggesting, if anything, that the two bands are anti-correlated." --

Author: James J. Condon
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069113779X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 376

View

Book Description
The ideal text for a one-semester course in radio astronomy Essential Radio Astronomy is the only textbook on the subject specifically designed for a one-semester introductory course for advanced undergraduates or graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics. It starts from first principles in order to fill gaps in students' backgrounds, make teaching easier for professors who are not expert radio astronomers, and provide a useful reference to the essential equations used by practitioners. This unique textbook reflects the fact that students of multiwavelength astronomy typically can afford to spend only one semester studying the observational techniques particular to each wavelength band. Essential Radio Astronomy presents only the most crucial concepts—succinctly and accessibly. It covers the general principles behind radio telescopes, receivers, and digital backends without getting bogged down in engineering details. Emphasizing the physical processes in radio sources, the book's approach is shaped by the view that radio astrophysics owes more to thermodynamics than electromagnetism. Proven in the classroom and generously illustrated throughout, Essential Radio Astronomy is an invaluable resource for students and researchers alike. The only textbook specifically designed for a one-semester course in radio astronomy Starts from first principles Makes teaching easier for astronomy professors who are not expert radio astronomers Emphasizes the physical processes in radio sources Covers the principles behind radio telescopes and receivers Provides the essential equations and fundamental constants used by practitioners Supplementary website includes lecture notes, problem sets, exams, and links to interactive demonstrations An online illustration package is available to professors

Author: F. Pacini
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400938233
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 370

View

Book Description
Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Cargèse, Corsica, France, September 2-13, 1985

Author: Felix A. Aharonian
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9789812561732
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 516

View

Book Description
Gamma ray astronomy, the branch of high energy astrophysics that studies the sky in energetic ?-ray photons, is destined to play a crucial role in the exploration of nonthermal phenomena in the Universe in their most extreme and violent forms. The great potential of this discipline offers impressive coverage of many OC hot topicsOCO of modern astrophysics and cosmology, such as the origin of galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays, particle acceleration and radiation processes under extreme astrophysical conditions, and the search for dark matter."

Author: Silvia Zane
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402059981
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 654

View

Book Description
This book is a collation of the contributions presented at a major conference on isolated neutron stars held in London in April 2006. Forty years after the discovery of radio pulsars it presents an up-to-date description of the new vision of isolated neutron stars that has emerged in recent years. The great variety of isolated neutron stars, from pulsars to magnetars, is well covered by descriptions of recent observational results and presentations of the latest theoretical interpretation of these data.

Author: M. Lemoine
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3540456155
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336

View

Book Description
The International School on Physics and Astrophysics of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR2000) was held at the Observatoire de Paris–Meudon on June 26-29, 2000. This was the ?rst international school speci?cally dedicated to ultra high energy cosmic rays. Its aim was to familiarize with and attract students, physicists and astronomers into this quickly developing newresearch ?eld. The mysterious and currently unknown origin of the most energetic par- cles observed in Nature has triggered in recent years theoretical speculations ranging from electromagnetic acceleration to as yet undiscovered physics - yond the Standard Model. It has also lead to the development of several new detection concepts and experimental projects, some of which are currently - der construction. By its nature, the ?eld of ultra high energy cosmic rays is therefore highly interdisciplinary and borrows from astrophysics and cosmology, via particle physics, to experimental physics and observational astronomy. One main aspect of the school was to emphasize and take advantage of this interd- ciplinarity. The lectures were grouped into subtopics and are reproduced in this volume in the following order: After a general introductory lecture on cosmic rays follow two contributions on experimental detection techniques, followed by three lectures on acceleration in astrophysical objects. The next four contri- tions cover all major aspects of propagation and interactions of ultra high energy radiation, including speculative issues such as newinteractions.