Soft X-ray observations of the VELA pulsar PSR 0833-45.

Abstract

X-ray maps produced from Exosat observations of the Vela pulsar in the 0.03-2.4 keV range confirm the components discussed by Harnden et al. (1985). Restricting the central source to a neutron star with an 8-15 km radium emitting blackbody-like radiation suggests a surface temperature in the 600,000 to 1,000,000 K. It is found that the observed blackbody-like luminosity may be generated by reheating via vortex creep in the crust of the neutron star. A search for pulsations at the radio period produced a pulsed fraction upper limit of less than 15 percent of the point-like component. The possible association of the Vela pulsar and a B9V star is considered.