Gamma-gamma absorption in gamma-ray binary systems
D. du Ploy* and B. van Soelen
Pre-published on:
December 15, 2020
Published on:
April 02, 2021
Abstract
Gamma-ray binaries are a subclass of high-mass binary systems and are generally distinguished by their spectral energy distributions peaking above 1 MeV. Gamma-ray binaries consist of an O or B type star and an orbiting compact object which is either a neutron star or a black hole. The nature of the compact object in gamma-ray binaries remains unknown expect for two systems, namely PSR B1259-63 and PSR J2032+4127, where the compact objects have been identified as pulsars. In the case of a neutron star compact object, the very high energy (VHE) emission mechanism is believed to originate from the interaction between the stellar and pulsar winds. Generally, gamma-ray binary light curves show that the maximum in the GeV and TeV emission occurs at different orbital phases, with the maximum GeV emission occurring at superior conjunction and the maximum TeV emission occurring at inferior conjunction. Therefore, gamma-gamma absorption might prove useful in constraining the TeV emission region by studying how it affects the observed spectrum. We have calculated the gamma-gamma absorption in six of the seven known gamma-ray binaries and the results are presented in this paper.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/1.371.0054
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