Escape from Vela X
James Hinton, Stefan Funk, Robert Parsons, Stefan Ohm

TL;DR
This paper presents a new model linking the structures of Vela X pulsar wind nebula, explaining its spectral features and predicting a high-energy cosmic ray electron signature, with implications for understanding positron excess.
Contribution
It introduces a novel model connecting the ERN and X-ray cocoon through particle injection and escape, explaining spectral observations and cosmic ray features.
Findings
Diffusive escape explains the steep Fermi-LAT spectrum.
Vela X should produce a detectable high-energy electron feature.
PWNe may account for the rising positron fraction in cosmic rays.
Abstract
Whilst the Vela pulsar and its associated nebula are often considered as the archetype of a system powered by a \sim10^4 year old isolated neutron star, many features of the spectral energy distribution of this pulsar wind nebula are both puzzling and unusual. Here we develop a model that for the first time relates the main structures in the system, the extended radio nebula (ERN) and the X-ray cocoon through continuous injection of particles with a fixed spectral shape. We argue that diffusive escape of particles from the ERN can explain the steep Fermi-LAT spectrum. In this scenario Vela X should produce a distinct feature in the locally-measured cosmic ray electron spectrum at very high energies. This prediction can be tested in the future using the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). If particles are indeed released early in the evolution of PWNe and can avoid severe adiabatic losses,…
Peer Reviews
No public reviews on file for this paper yet. If you reviewed it on a platform where reviews are public (OpenReview, ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML), you can paste yours below so the community can read it here.
Videos
No videos yet. Explain this paper in a talk, walkthrough, or lecture? Add one.
