Spectral Variation of Hard X-Ray Emission from the Crab Nebula with the Suzaku Hard X-Ray Detector

Abstract

Abstract The Crab Nebula is one of the brightest and most stable sources in the X-ray sky. Year-scale flux variation from the object was recently revealed in the hard X-ray band by four satellites. This marked the first detection of year-scale variability from pulsar wind nebulae in the hard X-ray band. The Crab Nebula has been observed at least once a year for calibration purposes with the Suzaku Hard X-ray Detector (HXD) since its launch in 2005. In order to investigate possible spectral changes as well as flux variation, archival data of the HXD were analyzed. The flux variation reported by other instruments was confirmed in the 25–100 keV band by the HXD at a few percent level, but flux above 100 keV did not follow the trend in variation below 100 keV. The hardness ratios produced utilizing the PIN and GSO sensors installed in the HXD exhibit significant scattering, thereby indicating spectral variations in the hard X-ray band. The spectral changes were quantified by spectral fitting with a broken power-law model. The difference between the two photon indexes of the broken power-law model in harder and softer energy bands is in the range of $<$ 2.54. Taking into account a flux variation of 6.3% and a spectral variation time-scale of a few days, multi components of the broken power-law-shaped synchrotron emission with different cooling times are suggested.