A search for periodic low-energy gamma-ray emission from pulsar PSR0531+21

Abstract

The observation on 6th June 1981 of the Crab Nebula by the Durham high resolution low-energy gamma-ray spectrometer has produced evidence for line features at energies of 404.4 keV and 1049.6 keV with intensities at the top of the atmosphere of (7.2 ± 2.1) x 10(^-3) and (1.9 ± 0.4) x 10 (^-3) photons cm (^-2) s (^-1) respectively. A transient line feature at 78.9 keV has also been detected. This thesis reports on a search for low-energy gamma-ray pulsed emission from the Crab pulsar which has yielded positive results. The period of the Crab pulsar has been correctly determined and its light curve deconvolved. The results on the Crab pulsar spectral analysis agree with a power law ~ E(^-2.2) . No evidence has been found for pulsed line emission from the Crab pulsar.