An X-ray Nebula Associated with the Millisecond Pulsar B1957+20
- 28 February 2003
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 299 (5611) , 1372-1374
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1079841
Abstract
We have detected an x-ray nebula around the binary millisecond pulsar B1957+20. A narrow tail, corresponding to the shocked pulsar wind, is seen interior to the known Hα bow shock and proves the long-held assumption that the rotational energy of millisecond pulsars is dissipated through relativistic winds. Unresolved x-ray emission likely represents the shock where the winds of the pulsar and its companion collide. This emission indicates that the efficiency with which relativistic particles are accelerated in the postshock flow is similar to that for young pulsars, despite the shock proximity and much weaker surface magnetic field of this millisecond pulsar.Keywords
All Related Versions
This publication has 25 references indexed in Scilit:
- ChandraImaging of the X‐Ray Nebula Powered by Pulsar B1509−58The Astrophysical Journal, 2002
- HST images of the eclipsing pulsar B1957+20The Astrophysical Journal, 1995
- Magnetic structure of pulsar windsThe Astrophysical Journal, 1994
- Orbital variability in the eclipsing pulsar binary PSR B1957+20The Astrophysical Journal, 1994
- The X-ray-emitting trail of the nearby pulsar PSR1929 + 10Nature, 1993
- High-energy emission from the eclipsing millisecond pulsar PSR 1957+20The Astrophysical Journal, 1993
- X-ray detection of the eclipsing millisecond pulsar PSR1957 +20Nature, 1992
- The expected high-energy to ultra-high-energy gamma-ray spectrum of the Crab NebulaThe Astrophysical Journal, 1992
- Relativistic magnetosonic shock waves in synchrotron sources - Shock structure and nonthermal acceleration of positronsThe Astrophysical Journal, 1992
- Discovery of a nebula around PSR1957 + 20Nature, 1988