TY - JOUR
T1 - A Magnetar Wind Nebula: the Spin-down-Powered Wind is not Enough
AU - Gill, Ramandeep
AU - Granot, Jonathan
AU - Baring, Matthew G.
AU - Gelfand, Joseph
AU - Younes, George A.
AU - Kargaltsev, Oleg
AU - Kust Harding, Alice
AU - Kouveliotou, Chryssa
AU - Huppenkothen, Daniela
PY - 2016/4/1
Y1 - 2016/4/1
N2 - Magnetars are a small class of slowly-rotating (P~2-12 s) highly
magnetized (surface dipole fields ~10^{14}-10^{15} G) that show a
variety of bursting activity, powered by the decay of their super-strong
magnetic field. While many rotation-powered pulsars are surrounded by a
pulsar wind nebula (PWN) powered by their spin-down MHD wind (the prime
example being the Crab nebula), only now has the first magnetar wind
nebula (MWN) been discovered in X-rays, around Swift J1834.9-0846. We
have analyzed this system in detail to see what can be learned from it.
We find good evidence that unlike normal PWNe, this MWN cannot be
powered by its spin-down MHD wind alone. A considerable contribution to
the MWN energy should come from a different source, most likely sporadic
outflows associated with the magnetar's bursting activity. This suggests
that the MWN may serve as a calorimeter, and provide a new and robust
estimate for the magnetar's long-term mean energy output rate in
outflows. We also discuss other interesting aspects of this system.
AB - Magnetars are a small class of slowly-rotating (P~2-12 s) highly
magnetized (surface dipole fields ~10^{14}-10^{15} G) that show a
variety of bursting activity, powered by the decay of their super-strong
magnetic field. While many rotation-powered pulsars are surrounded by a
pulsar wind nebula (PWN) powered by their spin-down MHD wind (the prime
example being the Crab nebula), only now has the first magnetar wind
nebula (MWN) been discovered in X-rays, around Swift J1834.9-0846. We
have analyzed this system in detail to see what can be learned from it.
We find good evidence that unlike normal PWNe, this MWN cannot be
powered by its spin-down MHD wind alone. A considerable contribution to
the MWN energy should come from a different source, most likely sporadic
outflows associated with the magnetar's bursting activity. This suggests
that the MWN may serve as a calorimeter, and provide a new and robust
estimate for the magnetar's long-term mean energy output rate in
outflows. We also discuss other interesting aspects of this system.
M3 - Article
VL - 15
JO - American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #11
JF - American Astronomical Society, HEAD meeting #11
ER -