https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201713602009
Two-zone model for the broadband Crab nebula spectrum: microscopic interpretation
1 Depts. of Planetary Sciences and Astronomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
2 DESY, 15738 Zeuthen, Germany
3 Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
a e-mail: ffrasche@lpl.arizona.edu
Published online: 23 March 2017
We develop a simple two-zone interpretation of the broadband baseline Crab nebula spectrum between 10−5 eV and ~ 100 TeV by using two distinct log-parabola energetic electrons distributions. We determine analytically the very-high energy photon spectrum as originated by inverse-Compton scattering of the far-infrared soft ambient photons within the nebula off a first population of electrons energized at the nebula termination shock. The broad and flat 200 GeV peak jointly observed by Fermi/LAT and MAGIC is naturally reproduced. The synchrotron radiation from a second energetic electron population explains the spectrum from the radio range up to ~ 10 keV. We infer from observations the energy dependence of the microscopic probability of remaining in proximity of the shock of the accelerating electrons.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2017
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
