Abstract
We present the results of new AGILE observations of PSR 1622-4950 performed over a period of ~2.5 years following the detection obtained with preliminary data. The modulation significance of the lightcurve above 30 MeV is at a 5s confidence level and the lightcurve is similar to those found earlier up to 30 MeV by COMPTEL: a broad asymmetric first peak reaching its maximum 0.39 ± 0.02 cycles after the radio peak plus a second peak at 0.94 ± 0.03. The γ-ray spectral energy distribution of pulsed flux is well described by a power-law (photon index a = 1.87 ± 0.09) with a remarkable cutoff at E c = 81 ± 20 MeV, representing the softest spectrum observed among γ-ray pulsars so far. The unusual soft break in the spectrum of PSR B1509-58 has been interpreted in the framework of polar cap models as a signature of the exotic photon splitting process in the strong magnetic field of this pulsar. In the case of an outer-gap scenario, or the two pole caustic model, better constraints on the geometry of the emission would be needed from the radio band in order to establish whether the conditions required by the models to reproduce AGILE lightcurves and spectra match the polarization measurements.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abdo, A. A. et al. 2010, ApJS, 187, 460
Adler, S. L., et al. 1970, PhRevL, 25, 1061
Cohen, R. H. & Treves, A. 1972, A&A, 20, 305
Crawford, F., Manchester, R. N., & Kaspi, V. M. 2001, AJ, 122, 2001
Daugherty, J. K. & Harding, A. K. 1996, ApJ, 458, 278
De Luca, A., Caraveo, P. A., Mereghetti, S., Negroni, M., & Bignami, G. F. 2005, ApJ, 623, 1051
Dyks, J. & Rudak, B. 2003, ApJ, 598, 1201
Harding, A. K., Baring, M. G., & Gonthier, P. L. 1997, ApJ, 476, 246
Hobbs, G., Lyne, A. G., Kramer, M., Martin, C. E., & Jordan, C. 2004, MNRAS, 353, 1311
Hobbs, G. B., Edwards, R. T., & Manchester, R. N. 2006, MNRAS, 369, 655
Holloway, N. J. 1977, MNRAS, 181, 9P
James, F. & Roos, M. 1975, Computer Physics Communications, 10, 343
Kuiper, et al. 1999, A&A, 351, 119
Manchester, R. N., Tuohy, I. R., & Damico, N. 1982, ApJL, 262, L31
Melatos, A. 1997, MNRAS, 288, 1049
Pellizzoni et al. 2009a, ApJ, 691, 1618
Pellizzoni, A. et al. 2009b, ApJL, 695, L115
Tavani, M. et al. 2009, A&A, 502, 995
Treves, A., Pilia, M. & Lopez, M. 2010, A&A, submitted
Watters, K. P., Romani, R. W.,Weltevrede, P., & Johnston, S. 2009, ApJ, 695, 1289
Weltevrede, P. et al. 2010, ApJ, 708, 1426
Zhang, L. & Cheng, K. S. 2000, A&A, 363, 575
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Consortia
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Pilia, M., Pellizzoni, A., AGILE Team and Pulsar Working Group. (2011). AGILE observations of PSR B1509-58. In: Torres, D., Rea, N. (eds) High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-17250-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-17251-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)