published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

The launch of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope marked a new era in observing gamma-rays from astrophysical sources. Fermi’s high sensitivity in the ~ 0.1−300GeV energy range opens an important window in the observation of the gamma-ray emissions from pulsar binaries, which emit most of their radiation energy in the gamma-ray range. We can now observe the gamma-ray emissions from pulsar binaries at an unprecedented accuracy, and investigate their origin in detail. In this thesis, we present the studies on two systems of pulsar binary of two distinct classes. The gamma-ray emissions from the high-mass gamma-ray binary LS 5039 were studied using the latest data from Fermi. The emission is modulated according to the 3.9 hr orbital period of the system. The results can be explained by the contribution of three components: the pulsar magnetospheric emission, the pulsar wind emission and the emissions from the shock formed from the interaction between the pulsar wind and companion’s stellar wind. The results were compared with observed data from Fermi and also in X-ray and TeV. In addition, the emissions from the millisecond pulsar PSR J1023+0038 and its low mass binary companion were also studied. This system recently went through a transition from the rotation-powered state to the accretion state, after going the opposite way in 2007. This state transition, discovered through the disappearance of radio pulsation, was accompanied by the brightening in GeV, X-ray and UV fluxes. A detailed Fermi observation was performed, supplemented by multi-wavelength observations. It was found that the emission from this system can also be described by the emissions from the pulsar magnetosphere, the pulsar wind and its shock. These two systems, although of distinct classes of pulsar binaries, provide complementary cases for the study of high-energy radiation processes in pulsar binaries. / published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

This thesis describes the observation of a number of astronomical objects using the University of Durham Atmospheric Cerenkov light detectors. The array of telescopes was used to study the Very High Energy (V.H.E.) gamma-radiation from these objects from June 1981 until November 1984.The general features of Gamma-ray astronomy are briefly discussed, and a review of the main results of previous gamma-ray observations is given. The basic theory and general characteristics of Atmospheric Cerenkov Effect experiments are reviewed. Details of the design, operation and performance of the University of Durham facility are presented in addition to details of the improvements achieved in the development of a new telescope. In particular, the new optical system is described. The main analysis procedures are explained. The adaptation of statistical techniques used to analyse the intensity of the Cerenkov light flash is described in some detail. A discussion of the problems involved in conducting an extensive search for periodicity in the data collected from Cygnus X-3 is given. A procedure for testing for transient pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab Pulsar is also described. The results of the observations from several objects are presented., the binary X-ray sources, Cygnus X-3, Hercules X-l and 4U0115+63, the Crab pulsar and the Galactic Plane. In addition, the preliminary results from observations of seven radio pulsars and seven other objects are given. A review of the main production mechanisms of V.H.E. gamma-radiation is given with particular emphasis on the models proposed for the high energy processes in Cygnus X-3, other binary-ray sources and pulsars.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics, June 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1989. / Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-256).

No description available.

This thesis focuses on the radiation mechanisms of non-thermal X-rays and soft gamma-rays of two types of thousands year old spin-down powered pulsars. The thousands year old pulsars have distinct radiation behaviors from the middle-aged gamma-ray pulsars. In the magnetosphere of the pulsar, the particles are accelerated by the electric field resulting from the rotation of the neutron star. These accelerated particles move along the magnetic field lines and emit GeV gamma-ray curvature photons. For the middle-aged pulsars, most of the curvature photons, whose observed spectra are described well by power law with exponential cut-off, can escape out of the light cylinder. In X-ray band, the middle-aged pulsars usually have black body radiation with a weak non-thermal component described by power law. On the other hand, for the thousands-year-old pulsars, the curvature spectra in GeV band, which obey power law with exponential cut-off, are smeared out by the pair creation or missed by the line of sight. The secondary pairs generated by pair creation processes spiral around the magnetic field lines and emit synchrotron photons, and the young pulsars have stronger non-thermal X-ray and soft gamma-ray radiation than the middle-aged ones. Seven young pulsars have been studied here, they are the Crab pulsar, PSRs B0540-69, B1509-58, J1846-0258, J1811-1925, J1617-5055 and J1930+1852. These seven fall into two categories: the Crab-like pulsars and soft gamma-ray pulsars. The Crab-like pulsars include the Crab pulsar and the Giant Crab PSR B0540-69, and the soft gamma-ray pulsars include the other five. The main difference between the two types of young pulsars is that the Crab-like pulsars’ spectra peak at E ≤ 1MeV while the soft gamma-ray pulsars’ spectra (in units of MeV/cm2/s) peak at E ∼ 10MeV. Their spectra also have different photon indices in X-ray band. The physics behind is two different pair creations, the photon-photon pair creation and the magnetic pair creation. The former happens when a high energy photon collides with a soft photon, and the latter happens when a high energy photon penetrates through strong perpendicular magnetic field. In the outer gap of the pulsar, a large mount of pairs are generated around the null charge surface via photon-photon pair creation, and the electric field separates the two charges to move in opposite directions. Therefore, there are outflow and inflow of particles in the magnetosphere, whose curvature photons are converted to pairs by photon-photon pair creation and magnetic pair creation respectively. For the Crab-like pulsar, the non-thermal X-rays and soft gamma-rays are emitted by the outgoing secondary pairs generated by photon-photon pair creation in the outer magnetosphere; for the soft gamma-ray pulsar, the radiating secondary pairs are generated below the null charge surface by the magnetic pair creation. / published_or_final_version / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis is concerned with very high energy γ-ray observations of blazars observable from the southern hemisphere. The data presented were obtained using the recently deployed University of Durham Mark 6 high sensitivity Čerenkov telescope. Chapters 1 and 2 are introductory; the subjects of γ-ray astronomy, extensive air showers, Čerenkov light production, the development of the atmospheric Čerenkov technique and the current status of TeV astronomy are discussed. Chapter 3 introduces the telescopes operated by the University of Durham. The Mark 6 telescope, designed to have a low threshold energy and a high resolution imaging system, is discussed in detail. Chapter 4 presents the calibration and analysis techniques routinely applied to data obtained with the Mark 6 telescope. The chapter concludes with a set of moment parameter selections designed to reject a significant fraction of the cosmic ray cascades, while retaining the majority of γ-rays cascades. These selections have resulted in a 5σ detection of PSR 1706-44. Chapter 5 discusses active galactic nuclei and in particular blazars. Topics included are recent high energy observations; the differences between the radio/X-ray selected BL Lacs and flat spectrum radio quasars; the infrared background; high energy flux variability and γ-ray production mechanisms within these objects. The chapter concludes with a list of possible very high energy γ-ray emitting blazars observable with the Mark 6 Čerenkov telescope. Chapter 6 presents the results from four of these very high-energy γ-ray blazar candidates; PKS 0548-322, PKS 1514-24, PKS 2005-489 and PKS 2155-304. There is no evidence for γ-ray emission from these sources, either in the form of a steady flux or variable activity. Three sigma integral flux upper limits above 300 GeV are produced for these objects and the implications of these observations are discussed. The conclusions are presented in Chapter 7 as well as ideas for future work.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 210-213) / Microfiche. / xvi, 213 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm