The Vela and Geminga pulsars in the mid-infrared

Abstract

The Vela and Geminga pulsars are rotation powered neutron stars, which have been identified in various spectral domains, from the near-infrared to hard $\gamma$-rays. In the near-infrared they exhibit tentative emission excesses, as compared to the optical range. To check whether these features are real, we analysed archival mid-infrared broadband images obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope in the 3.6--160 $\mu$m range and compared them with the data in other spectral domains. In the 3.6 and 5.8 $\mu$m bands we detected at $\sim$ (4--5)$\sigma$ significance level a point-like object, that is likely to be the counterpart of the Vela pulsar. Its position coincides with the pulsar at < 0.4 arcsec 1$\sigma$-accuracy level. Combining the measured fluxes with the available multiwavelength spectrum of the pulsar shows a steep flux increase towards the infrared, confirming the reality of the near-infrared excess reported early, and, hence, the reality of the suggested mid-infrared pulsar identification. Geminga is also identified, but only at a marginal 2$\sigma$ detection level in one 3.6 $\mu$m band. This needs a farther confirmation by deeper observations, while the estimated flux is also compatible with the near-infrared Geminga excess. The detection of the infrared excess is in contrast to the Crab pulsar, where it is absent, but is similar to the two magnetars, 4U 0142+61 and 1E 2259+586, showing similar features. We discuss X-ray irradiated fall-back discs around the pulsars, unresolved pulsar nebula structures, and pulsar magnetospheres as possible origins of the excesses. We note also possible infrared signatures of an extended tail behind Geminga and of the Vela plerion radio lobes.

16 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables

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Cited by in corpus (19)

• The 30-Year Search for the Compact Object in SN 1987A
• A broadband X-ray study of the Geminga pulsar with NuSTAR and XMM-Newton
• The near-infrared detection of PSR B0540-69 and its nebula
• Optical observations of PSR J2021+3651 in the Dragonfly Nebula with the GTC
• Multiwavelength spectroscopy of PSR B0656+14
• Discovery of extended infrared emission around the neutron star RX J0806.4-4123
• The first detection of a pulsar with ALMA
• Limits on Simultaneous and Delayed Optical Emission from Well-localized Fast Radio Bursts
• Possible optical counterpart of PSR J1357-6429
• Cosmic ray positrons from a local, middle-aged supernova remnant
• A magnetic white-dwarf accretion model for the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61
• Observations of three young gamma-ray pulsars with the Gran Telescopio Canarias
• Submillimeter pulsations from the magnetar XTE J1810-197
• Deep simultaneous limits on optical emission from FRB 20190520B by 24.4 fps observations with Tomo-e Gozen
• The Vela Pulsar With an Active Fallback Disk
• The Vela pulsar and its likely counter-jet in the K_s band
• Detection of continuum radio emission associated with Geminga
• Searching for Debris Disks around Isolated Pulsars
• Spin-flavor oscillations of Dirac neutrinos in a plane electromagnetic wave