none


NRAO/Socorro Colloquium Series

Joanna Rankin

University of Vermont


Synchronous X-ray and Radio Mode Changing in Pulsar B0943+10: Evidence for a Rapid Global Transformation of the Magnetosphere

Pulsars are remarkable sources, capable of producing EM emission from low-frequency radio waves up to high-energy gamma-rays—and from sites close to the neutron-star surface out to the edges of the magnetosphere. Some pulsars also exhibit several stable "modal" states with fascinating modulation properties and in some cases even different spindown torques. B0943+10 has two such radio modes, one with a carousel of bright accurately drifting subpulses and another with weak chaotic pulses. Correlated mode changes in the radiation at different wavelengths are then key to understanding the physical connections and mechanisms of the emission regions. Through simultaneous observations with the GMRT, LOFAR, and XMM-Newton observatories, we have detected synchronous switching in the radio and X-ray emission properties of B0943+10. When the pulsar is in its radio "bright" mode, the X-rays are unpulsed and have a non-thermal spectrum. Conversely, when the pulsar is in a radio "quiet" mode, the X-ray luminosity more than doubles and a 100%-pulsed thermal component is observed along with the non-thermal radiation. This indicates rapid, global changes in magnetospheric conditions, which challenge all proposed pulsar emission theories.



April 26,2013
11:00 am

Array Operations Center Auditorium

All NRAO employees are invited to attend via video, available in Charlottesville Room 230, Green Bank Room 137 and Tucson N525.

Local Host: Tim Hankins


Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.