Abstract
We report on the results of the extensive multi-wavelength campaign from optical to GeV gamma-rays of the 2014 periastron passage of PSR B1259-63, which is a unique high-mass gamma-ray emitting binary system with a young pulsar companion. Observations demonstrate the stable nature of the post-periastron GeV flare and prove the coincidence of the flare with the start of rapid decay of the H$\alpha$ equivalent width, usually interpreted as a disruption of the Be stellar disk. Intensive X-ray observations reveal changes in the X-ray spectral behaviour happening at the moment of the GeV flare. We demonstrate that these changes can be naturally explained as a result of synchrotron cooling of monoenergetic relativistic electrons injected into the system during the GeV flare.
Highlights
In the binary system PSR B1259−63, a 47.76 ms radio pulsar is in a highly eccentric orbit (e ≈ 0.87, P ≈ 3.4 yr) around the massive O9.5Ve star LS 2883 (Johnston et al 1992; Negueruela et al 2011)
In this paper we present the results of the extensive multiwavelength campaign of the latest PSR B1259−63 periastron passage, which happened on 2014 May 4
The broad-band non-thermal emission from PSR B1259−63 is produced by high-energy particles accelerated at the shock formed at the interface of the pulsar winds (Tavani & Arons 1997)
Summary
In the binary system PSR B1259−63, a 47.76 ms radio pulsar is in a highly eccentric orbit (e ≈ 0.87, P ≈ 3.4 yr) around the massive O9.5Ve star LS 2883 (Johnston et al 1992; Negueruela et al 2011). The most puzzling feature of the orbital modulation of the source is the huge flare in the GeV band starting 10 days after the postperiastron passage of the pulsar through the stellar disc with no obvious counterpart at any other wavelength (Abdo et al 2011; Chernyakova et al 2014) The origin of this flare was widely discussed in the literature (see e.g. Abdo et al 2011; Petri & Dubus 2011; Khangulyan et al 2012; Dubus & Cerutti 2013; Mochol & Kirk 2013), but the lack of observational data prevented any firm conclusions being made.
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