BINARY PULSAR SYSTEM PSR B1259-63/LS2883 AS A GAMMA-RAY EMITTER

Abstract

Observations of the binary pulsar PSR B1259-63/LS2883 in the high energy and very high energy domains have revealed a few quite unusual features. One of the most puzzling phenomena is the bright GeV flare detected with Fermi/LAT in 2011 January, approximately one month after periastron passage. Since the maximum luminosity in the high energy band during the flare nearly achieved the level of the pulsar spin-down energy losses, it is likely that the particles, responsible for this emission component, had a strongly anisotropic distribution, which resulted in the emission enhancement. One of the most prolific scenarios for such an emission enhancement is the Doppler boosting, which is realized in sources with relativistic motions. Interestingly, a number of hydrodynamical simulations have predicted a formation of highly relativistic outflows in binary pulsar systems, therefore scenarios, involving relativistic boosting, are very natural for these systems. However a more detailed analysis of such a possibility, presented in this study, reveals certain limitations which put strict constraints on the maximum luminosity achievable in this scenario. These constraints render the "Doppler boosting" scenario to be less feasible, especially for the synchrotron models.