Tomaschitz, R. (2014). Subexponential decay in Fermi-LAT pulsar spectra: The case for tachyonic Cherenkov radiation, Europhysics Letters (EPL) 106, 39001 (6pp), DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/106/39001
Abstract (IOPscience, EDP Sciences, SAO/NASA ADS)
Tachyonic Cherenkov fits are performed to the Fermi-LAT gamma-ray spectra of the Vela pulsar, PSR J1709 - 4429 and Geminga. The high-energy spectral tails of these pulsars exhibit pronounced subexponential Weibull decay, which can be modeled in a permeable spacetime by a frequency-dependent tachyon mass. The scaling exponent of the tachyon mass defines the Weibull shape parameter of the energy flux, and it also determines whether the radiation is sub- or superluminal. The negative mass-square in the tachyonic Maxwell-Proca equations gives rise to a longitudinal flux component. The radiation is generated by an ultra-relativistic thermal electron plasma via the inertial Cherenkov effect. The transversal and longitudinal gamma-ray emission from Geminga is slightly superluminal, whereas gamma-rays from the Vela pulsar and PSR J1709 - 4429 are subluminal despite the negative tachyonic mass-square in the dispersion relations.
41.60.Bq Cherenkov radiation
97.60.Gb Pulsars
95.30.Gv Radiation mechanisms; polarization
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Title: |
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Subexponential decay in Fermi-LAT pulsar spectra: The case for tachyonic Cherenkov radiation |
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Authors: |
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Tomaschitz, Roman |
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AA(Department of Physics, Hiroshima University - 1-3-1 Kagami-yama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan) |
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Europhysics Letters, Volume 106, Issue 3, article id. 39001 (2014). |
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Publication Date: |
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05/2014 |
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DOI: |
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description: Roman Tomaschitz (2014) Subexponential decay in Fermi-LAT pulsar spectra: The case for tachyonic Cherenkov radiation, EPL 106, 39001.
Keywords: superluminal radiation in a dispersive spacetime, tachyonic gamma-rays, frequency-dependent tachyon mass, radiation modes with negative mass-square, classical tachyonic Cherenkov radiation, transversal and longitudinal Cherenkov densities, tachyonic Cherenkov flux of a relativistic electron plasma, Weibull decay of Cherenkov flux, subexponential decay of spectral tails, absolute spacetime, aether, Maxwell-Proca radiation fields, sub- and superluminal group velocities, tachyonic spectral fits to gamma-ray pulsars, Vela pulsar, Geminga pulsar, PSR J1709 - 4429
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