A MODEL OF UNPULSED GAMMA-RAYS FROM THE CRAB PULSAR

Citation
Wm. Cheung et Ks. Cheng, A MODEL OF UNPULSED GAMMA-RAYS FROM THE CRAB PULSAR, The Astrophysical journal, 413(2), 1993, pp. 694-699
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
ISSN journal
0004637X
Volume
413
Issue
2
Year of publication
1993
Part
1
Pages
694 - 699
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(1993)413:2<694:AMOUGF>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
We study the possibility that the unpulsed gamma rays in the energy ra nge of 100 MeV-10 GeV from the direction of the Crab Nebula and pulsar are actually emitted from a region extending to a couple of light cyl inder radii from the pulsar instead of from the extensive nebula. In o ur model, two pulsed photon beams from two different outer gaps cross each other beyond the light cylinder and result in pair production. Si nce the pitch angles of these pairs do not correlate with the local ma gnetic field, and the typical mean free path for pair production is co mparable to the local radius of curvature, the subsequent synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering produce unpulsed X-rays and g amma rays, respectively.