arXiv subjects

R. W. Romani

Publications and source records attributed to R. W. Romani.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Ultraviolet, X-ray, and Optical Radiation from the Geminga Pulsar

We observed the gamma-ray pulsar Geminga with the HST STIS/MAMA detectors to measure the Geminga's UV spectrum and pulsations. The slope of the far-UV (FUV) spectrum is close to that of a Rayleigh-Jeans spectrum, suggesting that the FUV radiation is dominated by thermal emission from the neutron star (NS) surface. The measured FUV flux, F_FUV=(3.7+/-0.2)x10^-15 ergs cm^-2 s^-1 in 1155-1702 A band, corresponds to a brightness temperature T_RJ=(0.3-0.4)(d_200/R_13)^2 MK. The soft thermal component of the Geminga's X-ray spectrum measured with the XMM-Newton observatory corresponds to a temperature T_s=0.49+/-0.01 MK and radius R_s = (12.9+/-1.0)d_200 km. Unlike other NSs detected in the UV-optical, the FUV spectrum of Geminga lies below the extrapolation of the soft thermal component, which might be associated with the Geminga's very low temperature. Surprisingly, the thermal FUV radiation is strongly pulsed, showing a narrow dip at a phase close to that of a broader minimum of the soft X-ray light curve. The strong pulsations might be attributed to partial occultations of the thermal UV radiation by regions of the magnetosphere filled with electron/positron plasma. In contrast with the FUV spectrum, the near-IR (NIR) through near-UV (NUV) spectrum of Geminga is clearly nonthermal. It can be described by a power-law model, F_nu \propto nu^{-alpha} with a slope alpha = 0.43+/-0.15, close to alpha = 0.56+/-0.24 of the hard X-ray (E>2.5 keV) magnetospheric component. The observed NIR-optical-NUV spectrum is marginally consistent with the extrapolation of the X-ray magnetospheric spectrum. The NUV pulsations, however, do not show a clear correlation with the hard X-ray pulsations.

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arXiv2004

Radio and X-ray Observations of PSR B0540-69

PSR B0540-69 is one of a small handful of pulsars known to emit giant pulses and the only extra-galactic pulsar known to do so. We observed the pulsar for a total of 72 hr over a 6 month interval and detected 141 giant pulses. We have obtained correct phasing between the radio arrival times of the giant pulses and the X-ray pulse profile. The giant pulses occur in two phase windows, located 6.7 ms before and 5.0 ms after the midpoint of the X-ray profile. We have detected the integrated profile of the pulsar at 1.4 GHz with a flux density of only 24 micro-Jy. The statistics of the giant pulses are clearly power-law and it is likely that the giant pulses contribute only a few per cent to the integrated pulse flux density, similar to other pulsars with giant pulse emission. Simultaneous X-ray and radio observations show no significant increase in the X-ray flux at the time of the radio giants. The relative enhancements in the X-ray emission must be at least 5.5 times smaller than in the radio.

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arXiv2004

Blazar Counterparts for 3EG Sources at -40 < decl. < 0: Pushing South Through the Bulge

Supplementing existing survey data with VLA observations, we have extended $γ-$ray counterpart identifications down to decl. = -40$^\circ$ using our Figure of Merit approach. We find blazar counterparts for $\sim$ 70% of EGRET sources above decl. = -40$^\circ$ away from the Galaxy. Spectroscopic confirmation is in progress, and spectra for $\sim$ two dozen sources are presented here. We find evidence that increased exposure in the bulge region allowed EGRET to detect relatively faint blazars; a clear excess of non-blazar objects in this region however argues for an additional (new) source class.

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arXiv2004

Observations of PSR J2021+3651 and its X-ray Pulsar Wind Nebula G75.2+0.1

We present results from X-ray and radio observations of the recently discovered young Vela-like pulsar PSR J2021+3651, which is coincident with the EGRET gamma-ray source GeV 2020+3658. A 19.0-ks Chandra ACIS-S observation has revealed a ~20'' x 10'' pulsar wind nebula that is reminiscent of the equatorial tori seen around some young pulsars, along with thermal emission from an embedded point source (kT = 0.15 +/- 0.02 keV). We name the nebula G75.2+0.1. Its spectrum is well fit by an absorbed power-law model with photon index 1.7 +/- 0.3, hydrogen column density nH = 7.8 +/- 1.7 x 10^21 cm^-2, and an unabsorbed 0.3-10.0 keV flux of 1.9 +/- 0.3 x 10^-12 erg cm^-2 s^-1. We have spatially fit G75.2+0.1 with a model that assumes a toroidal morphology, and from this we infer that the torus is highly inclined 83 deg +/- 1 deg to the line of sight. A 20.8-ks Chandra observation in continuous-clocking mode reveals a possible pulse detection, with a pulsed fraction of ~37% and an H-test probability of occuring by chance of 1.2 x 10^-4. Timing observations with the Arecibo radio telescope spanning two years show that PSR J2021+3651 glitched sometime between MJDs 52616 and 52645 with parameters delta(v)/v = (2.587 +/- 0.002) x 10^-6 and delta(dot(v))/v = (6.2 +/- 0.3) x 10^-3, similar to those of the largest glitches observed in the Vela pulsar. PSR J2021+3651 is heavily scattered (T_sc = 17.7 ms +/- 0.9 ms at 1 GHz) and exhibits a significant amount of timing noise.

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arXiv2003

Ultraviolet Emission from the Millisecond Pulsar J0437-4715

We observed PSR J0437-4715 with the FUV-MAMA detector of the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (STIS) to measure the pulsar's spectrum and pulsations. For the first time, UV emission from a millisecond pulsar is detected. The measured flux, $(2.0\pm 0.2)\times 10^{-15}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the 1150-1700 Årange, corresponds to the luminosity $L_{\rm FUV}=(4.7\pm 0.5)\times 10^{27}$ erg s$^{-1}$, for the distance of 140 pc and negligible interstellar extinction. The shape of the observed spectrum suggests thermal emission from the neutron star surface with a surprisingly high temperature of about $1\times 10^5$ K, above the upper limit on the surface temperature of the younger ``ordinary'' pulsar J0108-1431. For the few-Gyr-old J0437-4715, such a temperature requires a heating mechanism to operate. The spectrum of J0437-4715 shows marginal evidence of an emission line at 1372 Å, which might be a gravitationally redshifted Zeeman component of the Hydrogen Ly$α$ line in a magnetic field $\sim 7\times 10^8$ G. No pulsations are detected, with a $3σ$ upper limit of 50% on pulsed fraction.

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arXiv2002

A search for the radio counterpart of the unidentified gamma-ray source 3EG J1410-6147

We have made radio continuum, HI and X-ray observations in the direction of the unidentified EGRET source 3EG J1410-6147, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observations encompass the supernova remnant (SNR) G312.4-0.4 and the two young pulsars PSRs J1412-6145 and J1413-6141. We derive a lower distance limit of 6 kpc to the SNR, although interpretation of positive velocity features in the HI spectrum may imply the SNR is more distant than 14 kpc. PSR J1412-6145, with an age of 50 kyr, is the pulsar most likely associated with SNR G312.4-0.4. X-rays are not detected from either pulsar and diffuse X-ray emission near the bright western edge of the SNR is weak. Although there is circumstantial evidence that this western region is a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), the embedded pulsar PSR J1412-6145 is apparently not sufficiently powerful to explain the radio enhancement. The origin of the electron acceleration in this region and of the gamma-rays remain unidentified, unless the distance to PSR J1413-6141 is at least a factor of 3 lower than its dispersion measure distance.

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arXiv2002

UV-IR Science Prospects with TES Imaging Arrays

We are developing photon-counting cameras employing cryogenic arrays of energy-resolving TES (Transition Edge Sensor) pixels. These are being tested in ground-based instruments, but will have their greatest impact when employed on space platforms, where they can cover the 10micrometer-100nm range with high time- and moderate energy- resolution. Here we summarize briefly existing device performance, current directions in array camera development and anticipated capabilities.

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arXiv2002

Thermal emission from low-field neutron stars

We present a new grid of LTE model atmospheres for weakly magnetic (B<=10e10G) neutron stars, using opacity and equation of state data from the OPAL project and employing a fully frequency- and angle-dependent radiation transfer. We discuss the differences from earlier models, including a comparison with a detailed NLTE calculation. We suggest heating of the outer layers of the neutron star atmosphere as an explanation for the featureless X-ray spectra of RX J1856.5-3754 and RX J0720.4-3125 recently observed with Chandra and XMM.

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arXiv1999

A Dark Cloud Associated an Unidentified EGRET Source

CO J=1-0 mapping observations of the dark nebula Lynds 227, which is possibly associated with the unidentified EGRET source 2EG J1811-2339, are presented. We detected a large amount of molecular gas along Lynds 227 with a total mass of (1-2)E4 Msun surrounding an X-ray synchrotron nebula, which was detected by the ASCA satellite within the error circle of 2EG J1811-2339. Molecular gas along Lynds 227 shows spatial anti-correlation with the X-ray synchrotron nebula, suggesting that the synchrotron nebula is interacting with the Lynds 227 cloud. We propose a $γ$-ray emission mechanism for 2EG J1811-2339: High energy electrons are injected from a rotation-powered pulsar and accelerated further in shock waves generated by the interaction with ambient matter. The high energy electrons move into the molecular cloud at the Lynds 227 and collide with dense interstellar matter to yield high energy $γ$-ray photons, mainly through relativistic bremsstrahlung.

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arXiv1999

First Astronomical Application of a Cryogenic TES Spectrophotometer

We report on the first astronomical observations with a photon counting pixel detector that provides arrival time- (delta t = 100ns) and energy- (delta E_gamma < 0.15eV) resolved measurements from the near IR through the near UV. Our test observations were performed by coupling this Transition Edge Sensor (TES) device to a 0.6m telescope; we have obtained the first simultaneous optical near-IR phase-resolved spectra of the Crab pulsar. A varying infrared turnover gives evidence of self-absorption in the pulsar plasma. The potential of such detectors in imaging arrays from a space platform are briefly described.

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arXiv1994

An Outer Gap Model of High-Energy Emission from Rotation-Powered Pulsars

We describe a refined calculation of high energy emission from rotation-powered pulsars based on the Outer Gap model of Cheng, Ho \&~Ruderman (1986a,b). We have improved upon previous efforts to model the spectra from these pulsars (e. g. Cheng, et al. 1986b; Ho 1989) by following the variation in particle production and radiation properties with position in the outer gap. Curvature, synchrotron and inverse-Compton scattering fluxes vary significantly over the gap and their interactions {\it via} photon-photon pair production build up the radiating charge populations at varying rates. We have also incorporated an approximate treatment of the transport of particle and photon fluxes between gap emission zones. These effects, along with improved computations of the particle and photon distributions, provide very important modifications of the model gamma-ray flux. In particular, we attempt to make specific predictions of pulse profile shapes and spectral variations as a function of pulse phase and suggest further extensions to the model which may provide accurate computations of the observed high energy emissions.

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