Astrophysics (Index)About

pulsar wind nebula

(PWN, plerion)
(type of nebula generated by a young pulsar)

A pulsar wind nebula (PWN or plerion) is a type of cloud caused by ions sent out by a rapidly rotating pulsar (millisecond pulsar) with a strong magnetic field causing a shock wave with the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM). This is typical of young pulsars, i.e., soon after the supernova that formed them, and found within the resulting supernova remnant. The PWN is visible in visible light, radio, and X-rays, and shows synchrotron-radiation characteristics.


(pulsars,nebulae,clouds,object type)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsar_wind_nebula
http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/~pulsar/pwncat.html
https://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/personalhomes/kirk/publications/BadHonnef.pdf
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept03/Schwartz/Schwartz2.html
http://cosmo.uchicago.edu/comptonlectures/humensky/68thSeriesLecture7Notes.pdf

Referenced by pages:
cloud
PSR B0950+08
SN 1987A (1987A)

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