Pulsar wind nebula

A nebula powered by the relativistic wind of a rapidly rotating neutron star. Its emission comes from particles and magnetic fields energized as the wind interacts with surrounding material.

Pulsar: A rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation observed as pulses when they sweep across Earth. Its rotation supplies the energy that drives the nebula.
Neutron star: A compact stellar remnant composed predominantly of densely packed neutrons. A pulsar wind nebula requires a neutron star at its center.
Crab Nebula: A supernova remnant in Taurus containing a bright pulsar wind nebula powered by the Crab Pulsar. Its detailed structure and historical supernova record make it the best-studied example.
Pulsar wind nebula–supernova remnant interaction: The evolving interaction between a pulsar wind nebula and the expanding debris of its progenitor’s supernova. The nebula is powered internally, while the surrounding remnant is expanding supernova ejecta.
Pulsar wind: A flow of relativistic particles and electromagnetic fields emitted by a pulsar. This outflow carries the pulsar’s energy into surrounding space.
Relativistic jet: A narrow outflow of matter moving at a speed close to that of light. Some pulsar wind nebulae show jet-like structures shaped by the central pulsar’s outflow.
Vela Pulsar: A young pulsar in the Vela supernova remnant, known for its bright X-ray nebula and jets. Its nebula provides a nearby comparison to the Crab’s more compact system.
Accretion disk: A rotating disk of gas spiraling toward a massive central object. Unlike disk emission, a pulsar wind nebula is energized by a neutron star’s outflow.
Termination shock: A shock where a supersonic flow slows abruptly as it encounters external pressure. The pulsar wind converts much of its energy into particle motion at this boundary.
Pair production: The creation of a particle and its antiparticle from energy or another interaction. Pulsar magnetospheres generate electron–positron pairs that feed the wind.

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