Thermal radiation from a radio pulsar PSR 1055-52

Abstract

The radio pulsar PSR 1055 - 52 was studied in order to detect thermal radiation from the surface of a neutron star. Einstein satellite observations of PSR 1055 - 52 fitted to different spectra are described. These results and observations of an extended source around PSR 1055 - 52 were used by Cheng and Helfand (1983) to develop the theory of a synchrotron nebula around the pulsar emitting a power-law X-ray spectrum. Exosat observations of the source and black body fit to the data are presented. The Alper et al. (1984) equation for determining radio pulsar temperature is given; the temperature for PSR 1055 - 52 was calculated to be approximately 340,000 K, which correlates well with the Exosat data. The idea of a thermally radiating neutron star was supported by the Exosat observations; however, the Cheng-Helfand theory was not confirmed.