Discovery of GeV γ-ray emission from PSR B1259-63/LS 2883

Abstract

The binary system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 consists of a 47.8 ms radio pulsar that orbits the companion Be star with a period of 3.4 years in a highly eccentric orbit. The system has been well sampled in radio, X-ray, and TeV γ-ray bands, and shows orbital phase-dependent variability in all observed frequencies. Here we report on the discovery of >100MeV γ-rays from PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 through the 2010 periastron passage. Using data collected with the Large Area Telescope on board Fermi from 33 days before periastron to 75 days after periastron, PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 was detected at a significance of 13.6 standard deviations. The γ-ray light curve was highly variable over this period, with a changing photon index that correlates with the γ-ray flux. In particular, two major flares that occur after the periastron passage were observed. The onset of γ-ray emission occurs close to, but not at the same orbital phases as, the two disk passages that occur ∼1 month before and ∼1 month after the periastron passage. The fact that the GeV orbital light curve is different from that of the X-ray and TeV light curves strongly suggests that GeV γ-ray emission originates from a different component. We speculate that the observed GeV flares may be resulting from Doppler boosting effects. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.