A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Vela pulsar wind nebula X-rays are polarized to near the synchrotron limit
Authors: Xie Fei, Di Marco Alessandro, La Monaca Fabio, Liu Kuan, Muleri Fabio, Bucciantini Niccolò, Romani Roger W., Costa Enrico, Rankin John, Soffitta Paolo, Bachetti Matteo, Di Lalla Niccolò, Fabiani Sergio, Ferrazzoli Riccardo, Gunji Shuichi, Latronico Luca, Negro Michela, Omodei Nicola, Pilia Maura, Trois Alessio, Watanabe Eri, Agudo Iván, Antonelli Lucio A., Baldini Luca, Baumgartner Wayne H., Bellazzini Ronaldo, Bianchi Stefano, Bongiorno Stephen D., Bonino Raffaella, Brez Alessandro, Capitanio Fiamma, Castellano Simone, Cavazzuti Elisabetta, Ciprini Stefano, De Rosa Alessandra, Del Monte Ettore, Di Gesu Laura, Donnarumma Immacolata, Doroshenko Victor, Dovčiak Michal, Ehlert Steven R., Enoto Teruaki, Evangelista Yuri, Garcia Javier A., Hayashida Kiyoshi, Heyl Jeremy, Iwakiri Wataru, Jorstad Svetlana G., Karas Vladimir, Kitaguchi Takao, Kolodziejczak Jeffery J., Krawczynski Henric, Liodakis Ioannis, Maldera Simone, Manfreda Alberto, Marin Frédéric, Marinucci Andrea, Marscher Alan P., Marshall Herman L., Massaro Francesco, Matt Giorgio, Mitsuishi Ikuyuki, Mizuno Tsunefumi, Ng C.-Y., O’Dell Stephen L., Oppedisano Chiara, Papitto Alessandro, Pavlov George G., Peirson Abel L., Perri Matteo, Pesce-Rollins Melissa, Petrucci Pierre-Olivier, Possenti Andrea, Poutanen Juri, Puccetti Simonetta, Ramsey Brian D., Ratheesh Ajay, Sgró Carmelo, Slane Patrick, Spandre Gloria, Tamagawa Toru, Tavecchio Fabrizio, Taverna Roberto, Tawara Yuzuru, Tennant Allyn F., Thomas Nicolas E., Tombesi Francesco, Tsygankov Sergey S., Turolla Roberto, Vink Jacco, Weisskopf Martin C., Wu Kinwah, Zane Silvia
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Publication year: 2022
Journal: Nature
Volume: 612
First page : 658
Last page: 660
eISSN: 1476-4687
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05476-5
Web address : https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05476-5
Pulsar wind nebulae are formed when outflows of relativistic electrons and positrons hit the surrounding supernova remnant or interstellar medium at a shock front. The Vela pulsar wind nebula is powered by a young pulsar (B0833-45, aged 11,000 years)1 and located inside an extended structure called Vela X, which is itself inside the supernova remnant2. Previous X-ray observations revealed two prominent arcs that are bisected by a jet and counter jet3,4. Radio maps have shown high linear polarization of 60% in the outer regions of the nebula5. Here we report an X-ray observation of the inner part of the nebula, where polarization can exceed 60% at the leading edge—approaching the theoretical limit of what can be produced by synchrotron emission. We infer that, in contrast with the case of the supernova remnant, the electrons in the pulsar wind nebula are accelerated with little or no turbulence in a highly uniform magnetic field.
