Discovery of high-energy Gamma-Ray pulsations from PSR J2021+3651 with AGILE

J. P. Halpern, F. Camilo, A. Giuliani, E. V. Gotthelf, M. A. McLaughlin, R. Mukherjee, A. Pellizzoni, S. M. Ransom, M. S.E. Roberts, M. Tavani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Discovered after the end of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory mission, the radio pulsar PSR J2021 + 3651 was long considered a likely counterpart of the high-energy γ-ray source 2CG 075 + 00=3EG J2021+3716=GeV J2020 + 3658, but it could not be confirmed due to the lack of a contemporaneous radio pulsar ephemeris to fold the sparse, archival γ-ray photons. Here, we report the discovery of γ-ray pulsations from PSR J2021 + 3651 in the 100-1500 MeV range using data from the AGILE satellite gathered over 8 months, folded on a densely sampled, contemporaneous radio ephemeris obtained for this purpose at the Green Bank Telescope. The γ-ray pulse consists of two sharp peaks separated by 0.47 ± 0.01 cycles. The single radio pulse leads the first γ-ray peak by 0.165 ± 0.010 cycles. These properties are similar to those of other ±-ray pulsars, and the phase relationship of the peaks can be interpreted in the context of the outer-gap accelerator model for ±-ray emission. Pulse-phase-resolved images show that there is only one dominant source, AGL J2020.5+3653=PSR J2021+3651, in the region previously containing confused sources 3EG J2021+3716 and 3EG J2016+3657.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L33-L36
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume687
Issue number1 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

Keywords

  • Observations
  • Pulsars
  • Subject headings
  • gamma rays

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Discovery of high-energy Gamma-Ray pulsations from PSR J2021+3651 with AGILE'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this