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Circular Polarization of Pulsar Wind Nebulae and the Cosmic-Ray Positron Excess
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Submitted 23 Jun 2014
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim The observation of a PWN with detectable circular polarization would cast strong doubt on pulsar interpretations of the positron excess, while observations setting strong limits on the circular polarization of PWN would lend credence to these models.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
Recent observations by the PAMELA and AMS-02 telescopes have uncovered an anomalous rise in the positron fraction at energies above 10~GeV. One possible explanation for this excess is the production of primary electron/positron pairs through electromagnetic cascades in pulsar magnetospheres. This process results in a high multiplicity of electron/positron pairs within the wind-termination shock of pulsar wind nebula (PWN). A consequence of this scenario is that no circular polarization should be observed within PWN, since the contributions from electrons and positrons exactly cancel. Here we note that current radio instruments are capable of setting meaningful limits on the circular polarization of synchrotron radiation in PWNs, which observationally test the model for pulsar production of the local positron excess. The observation of a PWN with detectable circular polarization would cast strong doubt on pulsar interpretations of the positron excess, while observations setting strong limits on the circular polarization of PWN would lend credence to these models. Finally, we indicate which pulsar wind nebulae are likely to provide the best targets for observational tests of the AMS-02 excess.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | Recent observations by the PAMELA and AMS-02 telescopes have uncovered an anomalous rise in the positron fraction at energies above 10~GeV. | background 1.00 | 0.04 | 0.02 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | One possible explanation for this excess is the production of primary electron/positron pairs through electromagnetic cascades in pulsar magnetospheres. | background 0.91 | 0.04 | 0.04 | hedged possibility 1.00 |
| s2 | This process results in a high multiplicity of electron/positron pairs within the wind-termination shock of pulsar wind nebula (PWN). | background 0.74 | 0.10 | 0.03 | asserted 0.99 |
| s3 | A consequence of this scenario is that no circular polarization should be observed within PWN, since the contributions from electrons and positrons exactly cancel. | interpretation 0.47 | 0.13 | 0.22 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | Here we note that current radio instruments are capable of setting meaningful limits on the circular polarization of synchrotron radiation in PWNs, which observationally test the model for pulsar production of the local positron excess. | contribution 0.58 | 0.18 | 0.16 | asserted 0.82 |
| s5 | The observation of a PWN with detectable circular polarization would cast strong doubt on pulsar interpretations of the positron excess, while observations setting strong limits on the circular polarization of PWN would lend credence to these models. | interpretation 0.95 | 0.14 | 0.70 | asserted 0.53 |
| s6 | Finally, we indicate which pulsar wind nebulae are likely to provide the best targets for observational tests of the AMS-02 excess. | future work 0.74 | 0.73 | 0.06 | hedged possibility 0.90 |
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Original abstract
Recent observations by the PAMELA and AMS-02 telescopes have uncovered an anomalous rise in the positron fraction at energies above 10~GeV. One possible explanation for this excess is the production of primary electron/positron pairs through electromagnetic cascades in pulsar magnetospheres. This process results in a high multiplicity of electron/positron pairs within the wind-termination shock of pulsar wind nebula (PWN). A consequence of this scenario is that no circular polarization should be observed within PWN, since the contributions from electrons and positrons exactly cancel. Here we note that current radio instruments are capable of setting meaningful limits on the circular polarization of synchrotron radiation in PWNs, which observationally test the model for pulsar production of the local positron excess. The observation of a PWN with detectable circular polarization would cast strong doubt on pulsar interpretations of the positron excess, while observations setting strong limits on the circular polarization of PWN would lend credence to these models. Finally, we indicate which pulsar wind nebulae are likely to provide the best targets for observational tests of the AMS-02 excess.
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There is extended literature on the possible contribution from Geminga (J0633+1746) and Monogem (B0656+14) to the high-energy positron flux [ref] .
Studying the Milky Way Pulsar Population with Cosmic-Ray Leptons · The highest energies: understanding the young, nearby pulsars · 0.97
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