We report on the Fermi-LAT observations of the Geminga pulsar, the second brightest non-variable GeV source in the gamma-ray sky and the first example of a radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsar. The observations cover one year, from the launch of the Fermi satellite through 2009 June 15. A data sample of over 60,000 photons enabled us to build a timing solution based solely on gamma-rays. Timing analysis shows two prominent peaks, separated by Delta phi = 0.497 +/- 0.004 in phase, which narrow with increasing energy. Pulsed gamma-rays are observed beyond 18 GeV, precluding emission below 2.7 stellar radii because of magnetic absorption. The phase-averaged spectrum was fitted with a power law with exponential cutoff of spectral index Gamma = (1.30 +/- 0.01 +/- 0.04), cutoff energy E-0 = (2.46 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.17) GeV, and an integral photon flux above 0.1 GeV of (4.14 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.32) x 10(-6) cm(-2) s(-1). The first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic. The phase-resolved spectroscopy shows a clear evolution of the spectral parameters, with the spectral index reaching a minimum value just before the leading peak and the cutoff energy having maxima around the peaks. The phase-resolved spectroscopy reveals that pulsar emission is present at all rotational phases. The spectral shape, broad pulse profile, and maximum photon energy favor the outer magnetospheric emission scenarios.
Fermi-Lat Observations Of The Geminga Pulsar / Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastier, D.; Baughman, B. M.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Bignami, G. F.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bonamente, E.; Borgland, A. W.; Bregeon, J.; Brez, A.; Brigida, M.; Brueli, P.; Burnett, T. H.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Caraveo, P. A.; Casandjian, J. M.; Cecchi, C.; Celik, O.; Charles, E.; Chekhtman, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Chiang, J.; Ciprini, S.; Claus, R.; Cohen Tanugi, J.; Conrad, J.; Dermer, C. D.; Palma, F. d.; Dormody, M.; Silva, E. D. E.; Drell, P. S.; Dubois, R.; Dumora, D.; Edmonds, Y.; Farnier, C.; Favuzzi, C.; Fegan, S. J.; Focke, W. B.; Fortin, P.; Frailis, M.; Furazawa, Y.; Funk, S.; Fusco, P.; Gargano, F.; Gasparrini, D.; Gehrels, N.; Germani, S.; Giavitto, G.; Giglietto, N.; Giordano, F.; Glanzman, T.; Godfrey, G.; Grenier, I. A.; Grondin, M. H.; Grove, J. E.; Guillemot, L.; Guiriec, S.; Hadasch, D.; Hardino, A. K.; Hays, E.; Hughes, R. E.; Johannesson, G.; Johnson, A. S.; Johnson, T. J.; Johnson, W. N.; Kamae, T.; Katagiri, H.; Kataoka, J.; Kawai, N.; Kerr, M.; Knodlseder, J.; Kuss, M.; Lande, J.; Latronico, L.; Lemoine Goumard, M.; Longo, Francesco; Loparco, F.; Lott, B.; Lovellette, M. N.; Lubrano, P.; Makeev, A.; Marelli, M.; Mazziotta, M. N.; Mcenery, J. E.; Meurer, C.; Michelson, P. F.; Mitthumsiri, W.; Mizuno, T.; Moiseev, A. A.; Monte, C.; Monzani, M. E.; Morselli, A.; Moskalenk, I. V.; Murgia, S.; Nolan, P. L.; Norris, J. P.; Nuss, E.; Ohsugi, T.; Omodei, N.; Orlando, E.; Ormes, J. F.; Ozaki, M.; Paneque, D.; Panetta, J. H.; Parent, D.; Pelassa, V.; Pepe, M.; Pesce Rollins, M.; Piron, F.; Porter, T. A.; Raino, S.; Rando, R.; Rayi, P. S.; Razzano, M.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Reposeur, T.; Rochester, L. S.; Rodriguez, A. Y.; Romani, R. W.; Roth, M.; Ryde, F.; Sadrozinski, H. F. W.; Sander, A.; Parkinson, P. M. S.; Scargle, J. D.; Sgro, C.; Siskind, E. J.; Smith, D. A.; Smith, P. D.; Spandre, G.; Spinelli, P.; Strickman, M. S.; Suson, D. J.; Takahashi, H.; Takahashi, T.; Tanaka, T.; Thayer, J. B.; Thayer, J. G.; Thompson, D. J.; Tibaldo, L.; Torres, D. F.; Tosti, G.; Tramacere, A.; Usher, T. L.; Etten, A. V.; Vasileiou, V.; Venter, C.; Vilchez, N.; Vitale, V.; Waite, A. P.; Wang, P.; Watters, K.; Winer, B. L.; Wood, K. S.; Ylinen, T.; Ziegler, M.. - In: THE ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL. - ISSN 0004-637X. - STAMPA. - 720:(2010), pp. 272-283. [10.1088/0004-637X/720/1/272]
Fermi-Lat Observations Of The Geminga Pulsar
LONGO, FRANCESCO;E. Orlando;
2010-01-01
Abstract
We report on the Fermi-LAT observations of the Geminga pulsar, the second brightest non-variable GeV source in the gamma-ray sky and the first example of a radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsar. The observations cover one year, from the launch of the Fermi satellite through 2009 June 15. A data sample of over 60,000 photons enabled us to build a timing solution based solely on gamma-rays. Timing analysis shows two prominent peaks, separated by Delta phi = 0.497 +/- 0.004 in phase, which narrow with increasing energy. Pulsed gamma-rays are observed beyond 18 GeV, precluding emission below 2.7 stellar radii because of magnetic absorption. The phase-averaged spectrum was fitted with a power law with exponential cutoff of spectral index Gamma = (1.30 +/- 0.01 +/- 0.04), cutoff energy E-0 = (2.46 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.17) GeV, and an integral photon flux above 0.1 GeV of (4.14 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.32) x 10(-6) cm(-2) s(-1). The first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic. The phase-resolved spectroscopy shows a clear evolution of the spectral parameters, with the spectral index reaching a minimum value just before the leading peak and the cutoff energy having maxima around the peaks. The phase-resolved spectroscopy reveals that pulsar emission is present at all rotational phases. The spectral shape, broad pulse profile, and maximum photon energy favor the outer magnetospheric emission scenarios.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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