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E.V. Gotthelf (Columbia University)
We present a spectral study of young pulsars (PSRs) with bright pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) as observed with the Chandra X-ray observatory. The superb spatial resolution of Chandra allows us to differentiate a pulsars spectrum from that of its surrounding nebulae. Specifically, for nine Crab-like pulsars we derive an empirical relationship between the 2-10 keV photon indices for the bulk-averaged PWNe and those of the phase-averaged pulsar emission. These spectra are well characterized by an absorbed power-law model with photon indices, \Gamma, in the range of 0.6 < \GammaPSR < 2.1 and 1.3 < \GammaPWN < 2.3. Our results suggest a fundamental spectral relationship between pulsars and their wind nebulae not easily explained in the framework of current models for pulsar emission mechanisms. The spectral slopes are found to be tightly correlated over the full range of measured values; furthermore, the spectral index of the younger, more energetic pulsars are seen to be steeper. The former strongly constrains emission models and the latter provides an important probe of pulsar spin-down evolution.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #4
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.