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Abstract

The very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission reported from a number of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) is naturally explained by the inverse Compton scattering of multi-TeV electrons. However, the physical dimensions of some gamma-ray-emitting PWNe significantly exceed the scales anticipated by the standard hydrodynamical paradigm of PWN formation. The most "disturbing" case in this regard is HESS J1825-137, which extends to distances \(r\approx70\rm\,pc\) from the central pulsar PSR J1826-1334. If the gamma-ray emission is indeed produced inside the PWN, but not by electrons that escaped the nebula and diffuse in the interstellar medium (ISM), the formation of such an anomalously extended plerion could be realized, in a diluted environment with the hydrogen number density \(n_{ism}\le10^{-2}\rm\,cm^{-3}\). In this paper, we explore an alternative scenario assuming that the pulsar responsible for the formation of the nebula initially had a very short rotation period. In this case, the sizes of both the PWN and the surrounding supernova remnant depend on the initial pulsar period, the braking index, and the ISM density. To check the feasibility of this scenario, we study the parameter space that would reproduce the size of HESS J1825-137. We show that this demand can be achieved if the braking index is small, \(n\leq2\) and the pulsar birth period is short, \(P_{\rm b}\simeq1\rm\,ms\). This scenario can reproduce the wind termination position, which is expected at \(R_{ts}\simeq0.03\rm\,pc\), only in a dense environment with \(n_{ism}\geq\rm1\,cm^{-3}\). The requirement of the dense surrounding gas is supported by the presence of molecular clouds found in the source vicinity.

Details

1009240
Title
On the anomalously large extension of the Pulsar Wind Nebula HESS J1825-137
Publication title
arXiv.org; Ithaca
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Jun 5, 2018
Section
Astrophysics
Publisher
Cornell University Library, arXiv.org
Source
arXiv.org
Place of publication
Ithaca
Country of publication
United States
University/institution
Cornell University Library arXiv.org
e-ISSN
2331-8422
Source type
Working Paper
Language of publication
English
Document type
Working Paper
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2018-06-27
Milestone dates
2017-12-29 (Submission v1); 2018-06-05 (Submission v2)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
27 Jun 2018
ProQuest document ID
2073868111
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/working-papers/on-anomalously-large-extension-pulsar-wind-nebula/docview/2073868111/se-2?accountid=208611
Full text outside of ProQuest
Copyright
© 2018. This work is published under http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.
Last updated
2019-04-12
Database
2 databases
  • ProQuest One Academic
  • ProQuest One Academic