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Title:
The Nonthermal Radio, X-Ray, and TeV Gamma-Ray Spectra of MSH 15-52
Authors:
Du Plessis, I.; de Jager, O. C.; Buchner, S.; Nel, H. I.; North, A. R.; Raubenheimer, B. C.; van der Walt, D. J.
Publication:
Astrophysical Journal v.453, p.746 (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
11/1995
Origin:
APJ; KNUDSEN
ApJ Keywords:
GAMMA RAYS: THEORY, ISM: INDIVIDUAL ALPHANUMERIC: MSH 15-52, STARS: PULSARS: INDIVIDUAL ALPHANUMERIC: PSR B1509-, 8, RADIATION MECHANISMS: NONTHERMAL, ISM: SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
DOI:
10.1086/176436
Bibliographic Code:
1995ApJ...453..746D

Abstract

The spectrum and morphology of the radio emission (˜0°.5 extent) from MSH 15 - 52 (or G320.4-1.2) indicates that there is no association with the 0°.2 plerion of the 150 ms pulsar PSR B1509 - 58. The plerionic synchrotron spectrum is visible only in X-rays, and the steepening of the photon spectral index from ˜1.6 below a few keV to ˜2.1 above ˜10 keV is consistent with a crossover from adiabatic losses to synchrotron losses in a plerionic field strength B ˜ 8 × 10-6 G. A similar field is derived from equipartition between field and particles. Synchrotron loss in such a weak field is small enough to explain why this plerion is ˜20 times larger than the X-ray plerion of the Crab. Relativistic electrons in the 0?2 source scatter 2.7 K MBR photons and possibly IR photons from surrounding dust grains to TeV energies, and the resulting inverse Compton photon spectrum is expected to be harder than ɛ1-2 up to ɛ1 ˜ 20 TeV, with a softening above this energy. The γ-ray flux is expected to exceed the Crab flux above ɛ1 ˜ 5 TeV. Nooitgedacht atmospheric Cherenkov TeV observations of MSH 15 - 52 reported here were not sensitive enough to constrain the field strength of the nebula, but future large zenith angle Cherenkov observations should be able to probe the spectrum at ɛ1 ≫ 1 TeV, allowing a measurement of B.

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