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Characterization of the Optical and X-ray Properties of the Northwestern Wisps in the Crab NebulaWe have studied the wisps to the northwest of the Crab pulsar as part of a multi-wavelength campaign in the visible and in X-rays. Optical observations were obtained using the Nordic Optical Telescope in La Palma and X-ray observations were made with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observing campaign took place from October 2010 until September 2012. About once per year we observe wisps forming and peeling off from (or near) the region commonly associated with the termination shock of the pulsar wind. We find that the exact locations of the northwestern wisps in the optical and in X-rays are similar but not coincident, with X-ray wisps preferentially located closer to the pulsar. This suggests that the optical and X-ray wisps are not produced by the same particle distribution. It is also interesting to note that the optical and radio wisps are also separated from each other (Bietenholz et al. 2004). Our measurements and their implications are interpreted in terms of a Doppler-boosted ring model that has its origin in MHD modeling. While the Doppler boosting factors inferred from the X-ray wisps are consistent with current MHD simulations of PWNe, the optical boosting factors are not, and typically exceed values from MHD simulations by about a factor of 4.
Document ID
20130013902
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Weisskopf, M. C. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Bucciantini, N.
Idec, W.
Nillson, K.
Schweizer, T.
Tennant, A. F. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Zanin, R.
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
April 7, 2013
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
M13-2546
Meeting Information
Meeting: 13th Meeting of the High Energy Astrophysical Division
Location: Monterey, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: April 7, 2013
End Date: April 12, 2013
Sponsors: American Astronomical Society
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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