Possible pulsed optical emission from Geminga

A. Shearer; A. Golden; S. Harfst; R. Butler; R. M. Redfern; C. M.M. O'Sullivan; G. M. Beskin; S. I. Neizvestny; V. V. Neustroev; V. L. Plokhotnichenko; M. Cullum; A. Danks

Possible pulsed optical emission from Geminga

A. Shearer, A. Golden, S. Harfst, R. Butler, R. M. Redfern, C. M.M. O'Sullivan, G. M. Beskin, S. I. Neizvestny, V. V. Neustroev, V. L. Plokhotnichenko, M. Cullum, A. Danks

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present optical data which suggests that G″, the optical counterpart of the γ-ray pulsar Geminga, possibly pulses in B with a period of 0.237 seconds. The similarity between the optical pulse shape and the γ-ray light curve indicates that a large fraction of the optical emission is non-thermal in origin - contrary to recent suggestions based upon the total optical flux. The derived magnitude of the pulsed emission is m_B = 26.0 ± 0.4. Whilst it is not possible to give an accurate figure for the pulsed fraction (due to variations in the sky background) we can give an 1 σ upper limit of m_B ≈ 27 for the unpulsed fraction.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L21-L24
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	335
Issue number	1
State	Published - Jul 1 1998
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Pulsars: individual (Geminga) techniques: 2-d photon-counting detectors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Cite this

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title = "Possible pulsed optical emission from Geminga",

abstract = "We present optical data which suggests that G″, the optical counterpart of the γ-ray pulsar Geminga, possibly pulses in B with a period of 0.237 seconds. The similarity between the optical pulse shape and the γ-ray light curve indicates that a large fraction of the optical emission is non-thermal in origin - contrary to recent suggestions based upon the total optical flux. The derived magnitude of the pulsed emission is mB = 26.0 ± 0.4. Whilst it is not possible to give an accurate figure for the pulsed fraction (due to variations in the sky background) we can give an 1 σ upper limit of mB ≈ 27 for the unpulsed fraction.",

keywords = "Pulsars: individual (Geminga) techniques: 2-d photon-counting detectors",

author = "A. Shearer and A. Golden and S. Harfst and R. Butler and Redfern, {R. M.} and O'Sullivan, {C. M.M.} and Beskin, {G. M.} and Neizvestny, {S. I.} and Neustroev, {V. V.} and Plokhotnichenko, {V. L.} and M. Cullum and A. Danks",

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language = "English (US)",

volume = "335",

pages = "L21--L24",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Possible pulsed optical emission from Geminga

AU - Shearer, A.

AU - Golden, A.

AU - Harfst, S.

AU - Butler, R.

AU - Redfern, R. M.

AU - O'Sullivan, C. M.M.

AU - Beskin, G. M.

AU - Neizvestny, S. I.

AU - Neustroev, V. V.

AU - Plokhotnichenko, V. L.

AU - Cullum, M.

AU - Danks, A.

PY - 1998/7/1

Y1 - 1998/7/1

N2 - We present optical data which suggests that G″, the optical counterpart of the γ-ray pulsar Geminga, possibly pulses in B with a period of 0.237 seconds. The similarity between the optical pulse shape and the γ-ray light curve indicates that a large fraction of the optical emission is non-thermal in origin - contrary to recent suggestions based upon the total optical flux. The derived magnitude of the pulsed emission is mB = 26.0 ± 0.4. Whilst it is not possible to give an accurate figure for the pulsed fraction (due to variations in the sky background) we can give an 1 σ upper limit of mB ≈ 27 for the unpulsed fraction.

AB - We present optical data which suggests that G″, the optical counterpart of the γ-ray pulsar Geminga, possibly pulses in B with a period of 0.237 seconds. The similarity between the optical pulse shape and the γ-ray light curve indicates that a large fraction of the optical emission is non-thermal in origin - contrary to recent suggestions based upon the total optical flux. The derived magnitude of the pulsed emission is mB = 26.0 ± 0.4. Whilst it is not possible to give an accurate figure for the pulsed fraction (due to variations in the sky background) we can give an 1 σ upper limit of mB ≈ 27 for the unpulsed fraction.

KW - Pulsars: individual (Geminga) techniques: 2-d photon-counting detectors

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JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

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ER -

Possible pulsed optical emission from Geminga

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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