Optical spectroscopy of the radio pulsar PSR B0656+14

Abstract

We have obtained the spectrum of a middle-aged PSR B0656+14 in the 4300-9000 AA range with the ESO/VLT/FORS2. Preliminary results show that at 4600-7000 AA the spectrum is almost featureless and flat with a spectral index $α_nu ~ -0.2 that undergoes a change to a positive value at longer wavelengths. Combining with available multiwavelength data suggests two wide, red and blue, flux depressions whose frequency ratio is about 2 and which could be the 1st and 2nd harmonics of electron/positron cyclotron absorption formed at magnetic fields ~10^8G in upper magnetosphere of the pulsar.

4 pages, 4 figures, To appear in Astrophysics and Space Science, Proceedings of "Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the Surface", eds. D. Page, R. Turolla and S. Zane

References in corpus (7)

• Observations of the Crab Nebula and its pulsar in the far-ultraviolet and in the optical
• Dust, gas and the evolutionary status of the radio galaxy, 8C1435+635, at z = 4.25
• The young pulsar PSR B0540-69.3 and its synchrotron nebula in the optical and X-rays
• Optical photometry of the PSR B0656+14 and its neighborhood
• Subaru optical observations of the two middle-aged pulsars PSR B0656+14 and Geminga
• Optical Pulse-Phased Photopolarimetry of PSR B0656+14
• The Near-UV Pulse Profile and Spectrum of the Pulsar PSR B0656+14

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Optical, ultraviolet, and infrared observations of isolated neutron stars
• Multiwavelength spectroscopy of PSR B0656+14
• The Optical Spectrum of the Vela Pulsar
• Near-infrared observations of Rotating Radio Transients
• PSR B0656+14: the unified outlook from the infrared to X-rays
• The optical and near-infrared spectrum of the Crab pulsar with X-shooter
• VLT polarimetry observations of PSR B0656+14