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Title:
Probing the Nature of the Vela X Cocoon
Authors:
LaMassa, Stephanie M.; Slane, Patrick O.; de Jager, Okkie C.
Affiliation:
AA(The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.), AB(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA.), AC(Unit for Space Physics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.; South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation Research Chair, Astrophysics and Space Science.)
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 689, Issue 2, pp. L121-L124. (ApJL Homepage)
Publication Date:
12/2008
Origin:
UCP
ApJ Keywords:
ISM: Individual: Name: Vela X, Stars: Pulsars: General, Stars: Pulsars: Individual: Alphanumeric: PSR B0833-45, ISM: Supernova Remnants
DOI:
10.1086/595958
Bibliographic Code:
2008ApJ...689L.121L

Abstract

Vela X is a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) associated with the active pulsar B0833-45 and contained within the Vela supernova remnant (SNR). A collimated X-ray filament (``cocoon'') extends south-southwest from the pulsar to the center of Vela X. VLA observations uncovered radio emission coincident with the eastern edge of the cocoon, and H.E.S.S. has detected TeV γ-ray emission from this region as well. Using XMM-Newton archival data, covering the southern portion of this feature, we analyze the X-ray properties of the cocoon. The X-ray data are best fit by an absorbed nonequilibrium plasma model with a power-law component. Our analysis of the thermal emission shows enhanced abundances of O, Ne, and Mg within the cocoon, indicating the presence of ejecta-rich material from the propagation of the SNR reverse shock, consistent with Vela X being a disrupted PWN. We investigate the physical processes that excite the electrons in the PWN to emit in the radio, X-ray, and γ-ray bands. The radio and nonthermal X-ray emission can be explained by synchrotron emission. We model the γ-ray emission by inverse Compton scattering of electrons off of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons. We use a three-component broken power law to model the synchrotron emission, finding an intrinsic break in the electron spectrum at ~5×106 keV and a cooling break at ~5.5×1010 keV. This cooling break along with a magnetic field strength of 5×10-6 G indicate that the synchrotron break occurs at ~1 keV.
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