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Investigating the Anticorrelation between Photon Index and Flux of the Crab Using RXTE and NuSTAR
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Investigating the Anticorrelation between Photon Index and Flux of the Crab Using RXTE and NuSTAR

Debjit Chatterjee, Hsiang-Kuang Chang, Dipak Debnath, Koothodil Abhijith Augustine and Tzu-Hsuan Lin
The Astrophysical journal, Vol.988(1), p.105
20/07/2025

Abstract

Astronomy & Astrophysics Physical Sciences Science & Technology
We present a systematic study of the recently reported anticorrelation between X-ray flux and photon index (Gamma) in the Crab Nebula, using archival Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (3-50 keV), RXTE High Energy X-ray Timing Experiment (HEXTE; 20-100 keV), and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (3-78 keV) observations. Spectra were extracted in soft (3-10 keV) and hard bands (10-50, 10-78, 20-100 keV) and fitted with an absorbed power-law model. Across all instruments and energy ranges, we confirm the existence of a persistent negative correlation-harder spectra at higher flux levels. The correlation is stronger in the hard bands compared to the soft bands. This is consistent with synchrotron emission modulated by magnetic-field variations in the pulsar wind nebula.
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https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ade9bdView
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