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Pulsar wind nebula: termination shock and magnetization

What you are seeing: a pulsar wind nebula. The pulsar's spin-down luminosity drives a relativistic wind that terminates at a shock RTS=Lsd/(4πcPext)R_{TS} = \sqrt{L_{sd} / (4\pi c P_{ext})}. The magnetization σ=UB/Uparticle\sigma = U_B / U_{\rm particle} controls the post-shock dynamics.

Figure 1. Schematic PWN with termination shock and magnetization.
log10(L_sd erg/s)38.7
log10(P_ext dyn)-9.0
σ0.003

WHAT TO TRY

  • Vary each control and watch the rail readouts respond.
  • Compare the diagnostic plot against the live scene.