Radio spectrum of thermal absorption in the B1259-63/LS 2883 system

Olga Koralewska, Jarosław Kijak and Wojciech Lewandowski

The number of gigahertz-peaked spectra (GPS) pulsars is constantly growing. Most of these sources can be found inside some peculiar environments: supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae and dense H II regions (Kijak et al., 2017). We believe that these environments are responsible for the GPS pulsars spectra appearance, and the primary mechanism that shapes the spectrum is the thermal free-free absorption occurring in the relatively dense matter surrounding the pulsar. The binary system of PSR B1259−63 and Be star LS 2883 provides a window into the GPS phenomenon. The spectrum of PSR B1259−63 at various orbital phases mimics the spectrum of a GPS pulsar. Here we present our detailed model of thermal absorption in this binary system.

Proceedings of the Polish Astronomical Society, vol. 7, 97-99 (2018)

Download full article as PDF file: