Physics and Astronomy Calendar

Young neutron stars probe some of the most extreme physical environments in the Universe. Their rapid rotations and large magnetic fields combine to accelerate particles to extremely high energies, producing energetic winds that result in the slow spin-down of the stars and generate nebulae of synchrotron-emitting particles spiraling in a wound-up magnetic field. The structure of these nebulae is determined by the energy input from the central pulsars as well as the structure and content of the medium into which they expand. In the centermost regions, relativistic outflows in the form of rings and jets are formed; the geometry of these emission regions reveals the orientation of the pulsar spin axes and can provide information on the formation of kicks imparted in the moments following their formation. Their large-scale structures reveal details of the magnetic field and signatures of interaction with the ejecta from the explosions that gave them birth. The emission from these nebulae extends from the radio band to the TeV gamma-ray band, providing strong constraints on the extraction of spin-down energy from these rotating stars.

In this talk I will summarize recent advances in our understanding of pulsar wind nebulae, introducing observations of several particular systems to demonstrate the evolution of these structures.