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# PULSAR WIND NEBULAE IN EVOLVED SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

## 1 INTRODUCTION

Pulsars are expected to be born inside massive stars, so that the evolution of the wind nebulae that they produce is expected to depend on a number of different factors: the structure of the supernova, the nature of the surrounding medium, the evolution of the pulsar spin-down power, and the space velocity of the pulsar. The evolution of pulsar nebulae can be divided into a number of phases that are important for their observational appearance (Reynolds & Chevalier 1984, hereafter RC84; Chevalier 1998). Initially, the pulsar nebula expands into the freely expanding supernova ejecta. The pulsar provides a constant wind power and the swept-up shell of ejecta is accelerated. Jun (1998) has carried out two-dimensional simulations of the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities that occur during this phase, with the aim of modeling the Crab Nebula. On a timescale of $``$ $`10^3`$ yr for a pulsar like the Crab, the power input from the pulsar drops steeply so that the nebula expands adiabatically. The expansion approaches free expansion within the supernova.

The next phase of evolution results from the interaction of the supernova remnant with the surrounding medium and the inward motion of the reverse shock front that is driven by this interaction. On a timescale of $``$ $`10^4`$ yr, the reverse shock makes its way back to the center of the remnant. The pulsar nebula that has been created by the early energy injection is compressed during this phase. Because of the synchrotron losses of high energy particles, this nebula is best observed at radio wavelengths. At the same time, the continued wind power from the pulsar can create a nebula, including high energy emission, that is localized to the pulsar. If the pulsar has a velocity of 100’s of km s-1, as is quite likely for a normal pulsar (Lyne & Lorimer 1994), a bow shock nebula can form around the pulsar and this nebula can separate from the crushed nebula from the earlier phase.

RC84 made some approximate estimates of the effects of crushing a pulsar nebula by the external supernova remnant, with an emphasis on the synchrotron luminosity. Van der Swaluw et al. (2000) carried out one-fluid, one-dimensional simulations of the crushing process, finding that there are considerable transient effects before the nebula settles into a slow expansion. Our aim here is also to investigate the hydrodynamics of the interaction, with attention to instabilities. In § 2, we present the basic parameters that are needed to model the pulsar nebula/supernova remnant interaction. A difference with the work of van der Swaluw et al. (2000) is that they assumed supernova ejecta with a constant density profile, whereas we allow for an outer power law profile. Numerical simulations in one and two dimensions are presented in § 3 and § 4, respectively. We allow for different adiabatic indices in the relativistic fluid and the thermal gas fluid. In the two-dimensional simulations, the effect of a density gradient in the external medium is treated in addition to a constant density ambient medium. We believe this situation is relevant to the Vela X radio pulsar nebula in the Vela supernova remnant, which is discussed in § 5 along with other remnants. The conclusions are in § 6.

## 2 A MODEL FOR THE PWN/SNR INTERACTION

To investigate the dynamical evolution of the pulsar wind nebula/supernova remnant system beyond the free expansion phase, we have constructed a simple model based on the expanding pulsar bubble solution (Chevalier 1977) and the self-similar driven wave (Chevalier 1982). We begin by assuming the stellar material ejected by the Type II supernova is expanding ballistically ($`r=vt`$) and can be described by a steep outer power law density profile inside of which the density is constant. The density profile is parameterized by the total mass of ejecta, $`M_{ej}`$, the kinetic energy released in the supernova, $`E_{sn}`$, and the density power law exponent, $`n`$:

$$\rho _{ej}(r,t)=\{\begin{array}{cc}Av_t^nr^nt^{n3}\mathrm{for}\hfill & r>v_tt\hfill \\ At^3\mathrm{for}\hfill & r<v_tt\hfill \end{array}$$
(1)
where the constant $`A`$ is given by

$$A=\frac{5n25}{2\pi n}E_{sn}v_t^5$$
(2)
and the velocity at the intersection of the density plateau and the power law is given by

$$v_t=\left(\frac{10n50}{3n9}\frac{E_{sn}}{M_{ej}}\right)^{1/2}.$$
(3)
If we further assume that this ejecta is expanding into a uniform ambient medium with density $`\rho _a`$, the expansion of the supernova remnant is described by a self-similar solution given by Chevalier (1982). The radius of the forward shock, $`R_1`$, in this self-similar driven wave (SSDW) is given by (assuming $`s=0`$ in Chevalier’s notation)

$$R_1=\alpha \left(\frac{\rho _tv_t^n}{\rho _a}\right)^{1/n}t^{(n3)/n}$$
(4)
where the constant $`\alpha =1.048`$ for $`n=9`$, but varies relatively little with the value of $`n`$. The assumption of a constant density surrounding medium may not generally apply because core collapse supernovae have massive star progenitors which are known to affect their surroundings through winds and photoionization. The timescale for the reverse shock wave to return to the center ($`10^4`$ years) makes it plausible that the outer shock wave has proceeded to the interstellar medium. If a wind bubble has been created by the progenitor star, the inward motion of the reverse shock is modified.

The last component of the model, the pulsar wind nebula, is treated as an adiabatic wind bubble driven by a pulsar wind with a kinetic luminosity, $`L_p`$. If we use the standard approximation of an isobaric bubble bounded by a thin shell of swept up ambient gas, as in Chevalier (1977), the expansion of this bubble within the uniform (but decreasing with time) density of the ejecta is given by

$$R_p=1.50\left(\frac{n}{n5}\right)^{1/5}\left(\frac{n5}{n3}\right)^{1/2}\left(\frac{E_{sn}^3L_p^2}{M_{ej}^5}\right)^{1/10}t^{6/5}.$$
(5)
This combined model is illustrated in Figure 1 which shows the radial profile of the density throughout the structure. The supernova ejecta is separated into three parts: a thin shell at $`R_p`$ that has been swept up by the expanding pulsar bubble, cold freely expanding ejecta between $`R_p`$ and the reverse SNR shock at $`R_2`$, and a thin shell of shocked ejecta at $`R_2`$ that has been decelerated by the reverse shock. The discontinuity between $`R_2`$ and $`R_1`$ separates the shocked ejecta (on the left) and the shocked CSM (on the right). The discontinuity near $`r=0`$ is the termination shock of the pulsar wind.

Several things will happen at an age of $`10^3`$ years to change this model. First, the pulsar will die out. Without continued power input, the expansion of the pulsar nebula will slow down until it becomes frozen into the expanding ejecta. Second, the pulsar nebula will reach the edge of the plateau in the SN ejecta and begin accelerating down the steep density gradient. Alternatively, the plateau will reach the reverse shock of the SSDW. As the ram pressure at the reverse shock rapidly decays away, the reverse shock is driven toward the center of the remnant, resulting in a dynamical interaction with the pulsar nebula.

The exact ordering of these events depends on the parameters of the model described above, namely $`E_{sn}`$, $`M_{ej}`$, $`n`$, $`\rho _a`$, $`L_p`$ and the lifetime of the pulsar. The time of the first event, the “death” of the pulsar, is determined by our model for $`L_p(t)`$. We approximate the power input from the pulsar by assuming a constant pulsar magnetic field and braking index $`p`$, which yields

$$L_p=L_{pi}\left(1+\frac{t}{\tau }\right)^{(p+1)/(p1)},$$
(6)
where $`L_{pi}`$ is the initial pulsar power and $`p=3`$ for the magnetic dipole case. It can be seen that much of the power input occurs up to time $`\tau `$, so that $`\tau `$ corresponds roughly to the lifetime of the pulsar. The initial pulsar power is given in terms of the initial spin period, $`P_i`$: $`L_{pi}=I\mathrm{\Omega }_i^2/[(p1)\tau ]`$, where $`I`$ is the pulsar moment of inertia and $`\mathrm{\Omega }_i=2\pi /P_i`$ is the initial spin rate. For the Crab pulsar, $`p`$ is measured to be 2.5 and $`L_p=4\times 10^{38}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$, which lead to $`\tau =744`$ years and $`L_{pi}=3\times 10^{39}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$ for $`I=10^{45}`$ g cm2 (e.g., Chevalier 1977 and references therein). The power input for our model C (see Table 1) is considerably above $`L_{pi}`$ for the Crab pulsar, but corresponds to $`P_i5`$ ms (for $`p=3`$), which is a plausible initial rotation period.

The second event, the pulsar nebula reaching the edge of the ejecta plateau, $`R_t=v_tt`$, occurs at

$$t_2=2.64\left(\frac{n5}{n}\right)\frac{E_{sn}}{L_p}$$
(7)
assuming constant pulsar luminosity. If, however, the pulsar has already died away, the nebula will expand slower and this will be an underestimate to $`t_2`$. The third event, the inward motion of the reverse shock, begins when the edge of the ejecta plateau reaches the reverse shock, i.e., $`R_t=R_2`$:

$$t_3=B\left(\frac{\rho _t}{\rho _a}\right)^{1/3}120\left(\frac{M_{ej}}{M_{}}\right)^{5/6}\left(\frac{\rho _a}{m_p}\right)^{1/3}\left(\frac{E_{sn}}{10^{51}\mathrm{erg}}\right)^{1/2}\mathrm{yrs},$$
(8)
where the numerical value is quoted for $`n=9`$, for which $`B=0.688`$.

Choosing reasonable parameters as listed in Table 2 for Model A, we find $`t_23,700`$ yrs and $`t_31,500`$ yrs. Thus we expect the reverse shock to begin moving into the interior of the remnant where it will encounter the pulsar nebula. For other parameters, however, this sequence may be reversed. For example, lowering $`E_{sn}`$ by 3 would lead to $`t_2<t_3`$; the lower energy means a slower expansion, requiring a longer time to sweep up mass but a shorter time for the pulsar to blow through the slower ejecta.

## 3 ONE-DIMENSIONAL HYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS

To investigate the dynamical evolution of the pulsar nebula beyond the phase of self-similar expansion in a uniform ejecta, we employ numerical simulations that begin shortly before the PWN/SNR interaction. These simulations are computed with the VH-1 code, a Lagrangian-Remap version of the Piecewise Parabolic Method. The standard VH-1 code was adapted to treat two fluids with two different values of $`\gamma `$ such that the pulsar wind can be modeled with $`\gamma =4/3`$ while the supernova ejecta and circumstellar gas are modeled with $`\gamma =5/3`$. The one-dimensional PWN/SNR model is evolved on a grid of 1000 radial zones that expands to follow the forward shock. Several simulations on a grids of 750 and 1500 zones produced almost identical results.

The initial conditions for the SSDW are taken from the solution described in Chevalier (1982), scaled to the parameters listed in Table 2 for Model A. The initial conditions for the pulsar nebula are taken from a separate hydrodynamic simulation of a wind blown bubble in which the wind is an adiabatic gas with $`\gamma =4/3`$, a mass loss rate $`\dot{M}_w=2L_p/v_p^2`$, and a wind velocity, $`v_p`$, scaled to yield a sound speed in the shocked gas of $`c/\sqrt{3}`$, appropriate for a relativistic gas. The pulsar luminosity decays away according to eq. (6) assuming a braking index of $`p=3`$.

A more realistic model for the pulsar wind nebula would allow for a relativistic, MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) flow, as in the steady state model for the Crab Nebula by Kennel & Coroniti (1984a,b). However, once the relativistic wind passes through the wind termination shock, the flow velocity drops to $`c/3`$. The bulk velocity is not relativistic in the nebula, although the shocked particles are highly relativistic. This situation can be approximated by a $`\gamma =4/3`$ fluid. The magnetic field may be a more significant omission because the magnetic field in the Crab Nebula is thought to be in approximate equipartition with the particles. In particular, the magnetic field could affect the growth of instabilities at the edge of the pulsar nebula (Jun, Norman, & Stone 1995; Hester et al. 1996). The tangential magnetic field may be especially strong at the edge of the nebula (Emmering & Chevalier 1987). The magnetic field may inhibit the growth of the instability along the direction of the field, but has less of an effect across the field.

The evolution of the PWN/SNR model is illustrated with a space-time diagram in Figure 2. The evolution begins at $`t2\tau `$, just prior to the end of the SSDW phase at $`t_3`$. One can identify two bands of high-density gas in the early evolution: the pulsar nebula shell made up of swept up ejecta, and a shell of shocked ejecta on the trailing side of the SSDW. The simulation begins with the edge of the ejecta plateau reaching the reverse shock. The reverse shock and the shell of shocked ejecta then begin to push inward, but the SSDW does not have much time to react to the dropping ejecta density before the pulsar shell strikes it.

At an age of about $`3000`$ years the pulsar nebula shell collides with the dense SSDW shell. From this point on all of the ejecta is contained in a relatively thin shell (width $`0.1R_1`$) bounded by low density shocked pulsar wind on the inside and by shocked circumstellar gas on the outside. This initial impact generates a strong shockwave transmitted through the SSDW. When this shock catches up with the forward shock there is an abrupt, but brief, acceleration of the forward shock, followed by a faster deceleration than in the SSDW phase. A weak reflected shock is also generated, which bounces back and forth through the pulsar bubble at the relatively high sound speed of $`c/\sqrt{3}`$. This bouncing wave can be seen as nearly vertical lines in the pressure image of Figure 2.

Following the collision of the pulsar and reverse SNR shocks, the thin shell of ejecta is gradually pushed inward with respect to the outer shockwave by the high pressure of the shocked CSM. Initially the pressure in the pulsar bubble is negligible, and the presence of the PWN has no effect on the dynamics of the crashing reverse shock. But as the pulsar bubble is compressed, the interior pressure rises. For our nominal PWN/SNR parameters, the pressure in the bubble becomes comparable to the pressure behind the reverse shock once the PWN has been crushed to approximately half the radius of the SNR. Eventually the PWN reaches a minimum radius of $`0.25R_1`$ at an age of $`35,000`$ years. At this point the pressure of the compressed pulsar bubble accelerates the shell of shocked ejecta back out to a radius of $`0.3R_1`$. From this point on all of the ejecta remains in a thin shell with a width of $`10\%`$ of $`R_1`$, slowly oscillating about an average radius of $`0.27R_1`$. The simulations of van der Swaluw et al. (2000) also show oscillations after the crushing phase.

The extent to which the pulsar bubble is compressed depends on the pressure in the bubble compared to the pressure behind the reverse shock as it propagates in toward the pulsar nebula. Assuming a constant pulsar luminosity and using the pressure behind the reverse shock in the SSDW phase, we find a ratio of pressures at a time of $`t_3`$:

$$\frac{P_b}{P_2}=0.166L_p^{2/5}M_{ej}^{1/3}\rho _a^{2/15}E_{sn}^{3/5},$$
(9)
assuming an ejecta exponent of $`n=9`$. This ratio is $`0.2`$ for our nominal parameters. Note that both of these pressures will be slightly lower: $`P_b`$ because the pulsar has likely died out by the time of the collision, $`P_2`$ because the pressure in the driven wave will drop once the reverse shock starts falling to the center.

We have run additional models in order to show the effects of changing the energy in the pulsar bubble on the evolution of the PWN/SNR interaction. In Model B we dropped the pressure ratio in eq. (9) by a factor of $`3`$ through a smaller ejecta mass ($`4M_{}`$) and smaller pulsar luminosity ($`10^{39}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$). In Model C the pressure ratio was increased by a factor of 2.4 by doubling the ejecta mass ($`16M_{}`$) and increasing the pulsar luminosity ($`5\times 10^{40}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$). The evolution of all three models is shown in Figure 3. As expected, the lower the pressure in the pulsar bubble, the more the bubble is compressed by the reverse shock. In the lower pressure model the radius of the bubble after collapse is only $`0.06R_1`$.

The evolution in the high-pressure model is slightly different since these parameters switch the ordering of $`t_2`$ and $`t_3`$. In this case the pulsar nebula hits the edge of the ejecta plateau at $`\tau `$, well before the PWN/SNR collision. There is thus an intermediate phase when the pulsar shell accelerates down the steep ejecta gradient before impacting the SSDW. This results in a more violent collision, which compresses the SSDW by a factor of $`2`$ and accelerates the forward shock considerably more than in the standard model. Despite this more violent beginning, however, the subsequent evolution is very similar to the standard model, albeit leaving behind a larger pulsar bubble.

It can be seen in Figure 3 that after the PWN has been crushed, the ratio $`R_p/R_1`$ evolves slowly with time, if the pressure wave induced oscillations are averaged out. If approximate pressure equilibrium is established between the PWN and the interior of the blast wave, we expect $`R_pt^{0.3}`$ (RC84). The radius of a Sedov blast wave evolves as

$$R_1=\left(\frac{2.025E_{sn}}{\rho _a}\right)^{0.2}t^{0.4},$$
(10)
so the slow evolution of $`R_p/R_1`$ is expected. Van der Swaluw & Wu (2001) have emphasized this point, noting that equating the pressure in the PWN with the interior pressure in the blast wave leads to

$$\frac{R_p}{R_1}=1.02\left(\frac{E_{pwn}(t)}{E_{sn}}\right)^{1/3},$$
(11)
where $`E_{pwn}(t)`$ is the internal energy in the PWN at time $`t`$. We now assume that the pulsar power can be assumed to be constant up to time $`t_p`$, after which it falls to 0. The value of $`E_{pwn}(t)`$ can be related to the total spindown energy of the pulsar $`E_{sd}=L_{pi}t_p`$ for $`p=3`$. During the initial expansion phase ($`tt_p`$), the radius of the PWN is given by eq. (5) and $`E_{pwn}(t)=5L_pt/11`$ (RC84). For $`t>t_p`$, the evolution of the PWN is adiabatic, so that $`E_{pwn}(t)=E_{pwn}(t_p)R_p(t_p)/R_p(t)`$, where $`E_{pwn}(t_p)=5E_{sd}/11`$. With the use of eqs. (5) and (10), eq. (11) can be expressed as

$$\frac{R_p}{R_1}=0.866\left(\frac{E_{sd}}{E_{sn}}\right)^{0.3}\left[\left(\frac{n5}{n3}\right)^{0.5}\left(\frac{n}{n5}\right)^{0.2}\frac{E_{sn}^{0.3}\rho _a^{0.2}t_p}{M_{ej}^{0.5}}\right]^{0.25}t^{0.1}.$$
(12)
Application of eq. (12) to the 3 models discussed here yields $`R_p/R_1=0.20`$ (Model A), 0.11 (Model B), and 0.29 (Model C) at $`t=5\times 10^{12}`$ s if we take $`t_p=\tau `$. It can be seen from Fig. (3) that these values are slightly lower than seen in the simulations. This discrepancy is due in large part to the time-dependence of $`L_p`$, such that some pulsar energy continues to be added to the bubble after a time $`\tau `$. In simulations with a constant value of $`L_p`$ up until $`t_p`$ and zero thereafter, the radius of the crushed PWN at late times was better fit by this approximation.

We have $`E_{sd}=I\mathrm{\Omega }_i^2/2`$, so that the observed value of $`R_p/R_1`$ can be related to the initial spin rate of the pulsar (van der Swaluw & Wu 2001); since $`R_p/R_1\mathrm{\Omega }_i^{0.6}`$, the value of $`R_p/R_1`$ appears to be more sensitive to $`\mathrm{\Omega }_i`$ than to the other uncertain parameters. However, there is some sensitivity to the power input timescale, $`\tau `$, because if $`\tau `$ is small, the wind power is injected at an early time and the bubble energy is more subject to adiabatic expansion losses. In the magnetic dipole model with braking index $`p=3`$, $`\tau `$ in eq. (6) is given by (e.g., Shapiro & Teukolsky 1983)

$$\tau =\frac{3Ic^3}{\mathrm{\Omega }_i^2B_{ns}^2R_{ns}^6\mathrm{sin}^2\alpha },$$
(13)
where $`B_{ns}`$ is the magnetic dipole field strength of the pulsar, $`R_{ns}`$ is its radius, and $`\alpha `$ is the angle between the dipole field and the rotation axis of the pulsar. Ordinary radio pulsars appear to have magnetic field strengths in a fairly narrow range around $`3\times 10^{12}`$ G (e.g., Stollman 1987), comparable to the field strength of the Crab pulsar. There may be a separate class of strongly magnetized neutron stars, magnetars, with $`B_{ns}10^{14}`$ G (Duncan & Thompson 1992); these objects are expected to rapidly deposit their rotational energy into the surroundings. Turning to the initial spin rate and taking $`\tau \mathrm{\Omega }_i^2`$ as given by eq. (13), we have $`R_p/R_1\mathrm{\Omega }_i^{0.1}`$. The insensitivity of $`R_p/R_1`$ to $`\mathrm{\Omega }_i`$ is due to the fact that a pulsar with a large spin down energy tends to deposit the energy into the nebula early, when it is subject to adiabatic expansion losses. In addition, early radiative losses can decrease the energy in the pulsar bubble (see also van der Swaluw & Wu 2001). The radiative luminosity of the Crab Nebula at present is $`1/3`$ of the spin-down power (Davidson & Fesen 1985), and the higher magnetic field at earlier times can make the losses even more important. Atoyan (1999) has described a model for the Crab Nebula in which the initial period is $`4`$ msec and most of the spin down energy is lost to radiation. For these combined reasons, the observed value of $`R_p/R_1`$ for an evolved pulsar wind nebula is unlikely to lead to a reliable estimate for the initial spin rate.

To illustrate these effects we show, in Figure 4, the evolution of $`R_p/R_1`$ for three models with the same SNR parameters, but different pulsar winds. In particular, we include two models with the same total spin down energy: Model D with $`L_p=5\times 10^{40}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$ and $`\tau _p=500`$ yrs, and Model E with $`L_p=10^{40}\mathrm{erg}\mathrm{s}^1`$ and $`\tau _p=2500`$ yrs. Eq. (12) predicts that the pulsar with a more gradual power output will produce a PWN at late times that is $`50\%`$ larger than a PWN from a pulsar with the same spin down energy, but releasing it away 5 times faster.

In addition to the PWN, radiative cooling can be important for the outer SNR, resulting in the formation of a dense shell (Chevalier 1974; Cioffi, McKee, & Bertschinger 1988). The shell radius expands approximately as $`R_1t^{0.3}`$. If both the PWN and the hot interior SNR gas evolve adiabatically and $`R_p^3R_1^3`$, pressure equilibrium between the PWN and the SNR implies that $`R_p^4R_s^5`$ or $`R_p/R_1t^{0.075}`$. The size of the PWN nebula relative to the SNR again remains approximately constant with time, although now the PWN expands slightly more rapidly. The hot SNR gas may not evolve adiabatically but may be subject to radiative cooling just inside the dense shell (Chevalier 1974). This has the effect of further increasing the ratio $`R_p/R_1`$.

## 4 TWO-DIMENSIONAL HYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS

### 4.1 Evolution in a Uniform Medium

To investigate the effects of instabilities on the morphology of the pulsar nebula, we have extended our models to two dimensions. We computed these models on a cylindrical ($`R`$-$`z`$) grid of 2000 $`\times `$ 2000 zones. We assume reflection symmetry about the equator and compute only one hemisphere. The initial conditions are taken from the first stage of the one-dimensional simulations just after the drop of the pulsar wind termination shock. In order to make these simulations more computationally efficient, we have raised the density in the pulsar bubble by a factor of 30. This artificially lowers the sound speed in the hot bubble allowing the use of a larger time step. Although this increases the time needed to equilibrate the pressure in the bubble, the sound crossing time is still relatively short compared to the expansion time, and one-dimensional simulations with and without this modification produced identical global evolutions. Again, we evolve this model on a moving grid that follows the outer shock front, so that the full resolution of the grid is always used.

The outer shock front remains very nearly spherical and follows the time evolution of the one dimensional model to within $`0.1\%`$. The key difference is the instability of the thin shell of ejecta and the rapid mixing driven by this instability. Even before the PWN/SNR interaction, the instability of the SSDW (Chevalier et al. 1992) begins to spread out the shell of shocked ejecta. However, given the short time between the beginning of the simulation and the crash of the reverse shock, there is not enough time for this instability to grow to significant amplitude. Following the PWN/SNR collision, the deceleration of the ejecta shell by the shocked ambient medium (responsible for the SSDW instability) increases in magnitude, thereby driving a more rapid Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The result is a broadened shell of mixed ejecta and ambient medium as seen in the first two frames of Figure 5.

Much more dramatic, however, is the Rayleigh-Taylor instability working in the opposite direction when the high pressure of the compressed pulsar bubble begins to accelerate the ejecta shell back outwards. From the 1D simulation shown in Figure 2, we see that once $`R_p/R_1`$ drops below $`0.5`$, the pressure in the compressed PWN exceeds that in the SNR and the PWN begins to decelerate the shell of shocked ejecta. This acceleration of the dense ejecta gas by the low-density PWN gas is subject to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. As a result of this instability, much of the ejecta gas continues toward the center of the SNR almost unabated. In the absence of a PWN, a spherical reverse shock would reach the center of the remnant at an age of $`35,000`$ yrs, and indeed we see in Figure 5 that some has reached the center by this time. In the same process some relativistic gas is displaced from the center.

We see two competing effects of this instability in the PWN crushing phase. First, as relativistic gas is displaced from the center, it escapes the full compression of the infalling ejecta seen in 1D. Second, the vigorous turbulence driven by this instability leads to rapid mixing of the thermal and relativistic gasses. To illustrate these effects, we compare the effective value of $`R_p/R_1`$ in the 1D and 2D simulations in Figure 6. We compute the radius of the pulsar bubble in the 2D simulation by summing up the volume of gas with $`\gamma <1.66`$ (i.e., including the partially mixed gas) and calculate an effective radius assuming a spherical volume. Prior to the bounce, the 1D and 2D simulations are nearly identical. However, at the moment of bounce, the PWN in the 2D simulation has a volume twice that of the PWN in the 1D simulation. The compressed PWN quickly rebounds in the 1D simulation, but in 2D the volume of relativistic gas continues to shrink due to numerical mixing.

This rapid depletion of the volume of the PWN in the 2D simulation is an artifact of numerical diffusion; when one numerical zone contains both relativistic gas ($`\gamma =4/3`$) and ejecta gas ($`\gamma =5/3`$), the mass-weighted average $`\gamma `$ is dominated by the high density of the ejecta. As a result, the mixing - and subsequent loss of PWN volume - is strongly dependent on the numerical resolution of the simulation. Higher spatial resolution leads to less numerical mixing across the contact interface between the two gasses, but it also leads to more vigorous hydrodynamic mixing by resolving the turbulence generated on smaller scales. The result of these competing effects can be seen in Figure 7, where we compare the distribution of relativistic gas in three 2D simulations with varying resolutions. We also plot the effective value of $`R_p/R_1`$ for these three simulations in Figure 6. Up until a time of $`35,000`$ yrs, all three simulations are quite similar. Once the Rayleigh-Taylor instability kicks in, however, the resolution-dependent effects of mixing become quite evident. Independent of the numerical resolution, it is clear that the mixing of relativisitc gas and thermal gas is very efficient.

### 4.2 Evolution in Nonuniform Media

We have repeated our 2D simulation with the addition of a density gradient in the ambient medium with the goal of understanding the displacement of the pulsar bubble seen in the Vela SNR. Following Dohm-Palmer & Jones (1996), we use a smooth density distribution in the vertical direction given by

$$\rho (z)=\rho _c\left[1+\frac{2x}{x}\mathrm{tanh}(z/H)\right]$$
(14)
such that the density contrast, from a maximum at large positive $`z`$ to a minimum at large negative $`z`$, is given by $`(x1)^1`$, and $`H`$ is the characteristic length scale over which the density changes. The simulations shown here use $`x=1.2`$ corresponding to a density contrast of 5. These simulations require the computation of the full domain in $`z`$ (i.e., no assumption of equatorial symmetry). As a result, our standard grid of 2000 zones represents only half the resolution used in the previous 2D model.

In Figure 8 we show the evolution of the PWN/SNR system for an ambient medium length scale of $`H=1\times 10^{19}`$ cm, which corresponds to the size of the SNR at an age of $`500`$ yrs. Early in the evolution, we can estimate the asymmetry in the SNR by assuming only radial motion, such that the local radius is determined by eq. (4) with the local preshock density. The full density contrast of 5 thus produces a relatively minor ratio in radii at the poles of $`5^{1/9}1.2`$. The ratio of pressures behind the forward shocks is more pronounced: $`5^{7/9}3.5`$ Thus, while the forward shock is only mildly asymmetric, the interior pressure variation drives a substantial asymmetry in the process of crushing the PWN.

If the ambient medium had an exponential density distribution instead of a step in density, the distortion of the outer shock front would not be as apparent (e.g., Hnatyk & Petruk 1999). In Figure 9 we show the results of two additional simulations with larger values of $`H`$, but all at the same age of $``$50,000 yrs. In the simulation with $`H=1\times 10^{20}`$ cm, the asymmetry in the CSM at the time of the PWN/SNR interaction is less than a factor of 2, and the crushed PWN is only slightly off center. But a slightly steeper density gradient, $`H=3\times 10^{19}`$ cm, begins to affect the SNR prior to the PWN/SNR interaction, and the crushed PWN is displaced from the center of the remnant by roughly $`40\%`$ the radius of the SNR.

## 5 COMPARISON WITH OBSERVATIONS

### 5.1 The Vela Remnant

A pulsar nebula that is likely to be in the post-reverse shock phase is Vela X in the Vela supernova remnant. This nebula was first identified as a region with a flat radio spectral index near the Vela pulsar (Weiler & Panagia 1980). More recent radio studies have shown that some of the emission is in filamentary structures as well as a diffuse background (Milne 1995; Frail et al. 1997; Bock, Turtle, & Green 1998). The extended Vela X emission is largely to the south of the pulsar. The radio observations of Bock et al. (1998) give an especially detailed view of the Vela X nebula. The overall appearance is chaotic, in keeping with the expected instabilities during the crushing and re-expansion phases. There are a number of radio filaments, and the magnetic field lines lie along the filaments; this is expected if the Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurs primarily across the magnetic field rather than along it. In their Fig. 5, Bock et al. (1998) show the projected velocity of the Vela pulsar, including the pulsar position 12,000 years ago; it is near the North edge of the Vela X nebula. Even if this age is incorrect, the direction of the pulsar velocity cannot take it to the center of the nebula. We propose that the reason for the asymmetry is an asymmetry in the medium surrounding the supernova remnant.

The interstellar medium surrounding the Vela remnant is known to be inhomogeneous. From X-ray observations, Bocchino, Maggio, & Sciortino (1999) deduced that the presence of various interstellar components, the lowest density component having a hydrogen density $`n_H0.06`$ cm-3. From HI observations, Dubner et al. (1998) deduced a preshock density $`n_H1`$ cm-3; this denser gas is primarily on the north side of the Vela remnant. We thus propose that the supernova occurred at the pulsar position (corrected for its velocity), that the higher density to North caused greater SNR expansion to the south, and that the asymmetry in the reverse shock front pushed the pulsar nebula to the south of the pulsar. The age of the remnant can be estimated from the spindown age of the pulsar, $`t_{sd}=P/[(p1)\dot{P}]`$, where $`p`$ is the pulsar braking index, $`P`$ is the pulsar period, and $`\dot{P}`$ is its time derivative. The spindown age is the actual age if $`p`$ is constant, the pulsar magnetic field is constant, and the current spin rate is much less than the initial rate. If this last assumption is violated, the age is $`<t_{sd}`$. For the magnetic dipole model with $`p=3`$, we have $`t_{sd}=11,000`$ years for the Vela pulsar (Reichley, Downs, & Morris 1970). However, Lyne et al. (1996) found evidence for $`p=1.4\pm 0.2`$, which leads to a larger value of $`t_{sd}56,000`$ years. These estimates show consistency with the hypothesis that the reverse shock front has recently crushed the pulsar nebula in Vela. Another expectation of the reverse shock model is that the pressure in the pulsar nebula should be comparable to the pressure in the hot gas in the Vela remnant. Estimates of the pressure in the relativistic fluid from minimum energy synchrotron emission arguments show that this is approximately the case (Frail et al. 1997).

With the standard assumptions, the evolution of the pulsar spin rate is

$$\mathrm{\Omega }=\mathrm{\Omega }_i\left(1+\frac{t}{\tau }\right)^{1/(p1)},$$
(15)
where $`\mathrm{\Omega }_i`$ is the initial pulsar spin rate and $`\tau `$ is approximately the timescale for power input by the pulsar (see § 3). The present period of the Vela pulsar is $`P=2\pi /\mathrm{\Omega }=89`$ ms. If $`p=1.4`$ and $`t\tau `$, we have $`\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Omega }_i(t/\tau )^{2.5}`$ and the rapid evolution of the spin rate requires a value of the initial spin rate that is faster than plausible if $`\tau 500`$ years. This is true even for our model E with $`\tau 2500`$ years. However, the value of $`p=1.4`$ by Lyne et al. (1996) is uncertain because of the frequent glitching of the pulsar and a value closer to the magnetic dipole value of 3 is possible. Of the models presented in § 3, model A appears most suitable because the radius of the pulsar nebula is 1/4 of the outer shock radius after the crushing has occurred; the diameter of Vela X is $`2^{}`$ (Bock et al. 1998), as compared to the $`8^{}`$ diameter of the Vela SNR.

The fact that the Vela pulsar is to one side of Vela X has led to previous discussions of how power might flow from the pulsar into the Vela X region. Observations with ROSAT have shown an X-ray filament to the south of the pulsar that has been interpreted as emission from a jet extending from the pulsar (Markwardt & Ögelman 1995). It is not yet clear whether the X-ray emission is thermal or nonthermal (Markwardt & Ögelman 1997). Frail et al. (1997) suggested that some of the radio structures are related to the X-ray “jet.” However, the radio filament near the X-ray feature appears to be similar to other radio filaments in the Vela X region (Bock et al. 1998). Also, the X-ray spectrum of the feature is similar to that of the more diffuse X-ray emission in the Vela X region (Markwardt & Ögelman 1997). Wijers & Sigurdsson (1997) noted difficulties with the high momentum in the proposed X-ray jet and suggested a different model combining fallback onto the neutron star with a trail left by a high velocity binary companion.

The model described here suggests a different interpretation of the “jet” features. As mentioned above, the linear feature in the radio synchrotron emission can be the result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability during the crushing process. The instability also results in hot, thermal gas being mixed into the region initially occupied by the relativistic fluid. Because of the sweeping action of the pulsar nebula, the gas immediately outside the pulsar nebula has a higher density than that occupying most of the SNR (Figs. 1 and 2). It is thus plausible that some of the gas mixed into the pulsar nebula has a higher emissivity and appears as an X-ray filament. Frail et al. (1997) found that the radio and X-ray emission are not coincident but lie near each other, as would be expected in our model.

### 5.2 Other Remnants

The return of a reverse shock front to the center of a supernova remnant is not generally expected to be spherically symmetric because of inhomogeneities in the surrounding medium. Thus we might expect our models to be broadly applicable to composite supernova remnants which have both an apparent pulsar nebula and a well-developed shell (see Helfand 1998 for a list of objects). The radio emitting electrons are long lived and are the best tracer of the power input from the pulsar during its phase of high power output. The X-ray emitting electrons are shorter lived and provide an indication of the current position of the pulsar, even if a pulsar has not been directly observed. However, an observable shell may be present before the reverse shock crushing phase. This appears to be the case, for example, in the Large Magellanic Cloud remnant 0540–69, which has a pulsar nebula very similar to the Crab Nebula (Kaaret et al. 2001). At late times, the mixing of the radio emitting electrons with the thermal gas may lead to the disappearance of the radio nebula from the initial injection phase. In this case, only emission from near the pulsar, likely to be in a trail because of the pulsar velocity, is present.

In the Vela remnant, the pulsar is surrounded by an X-ray PWN, while the radio emitting PWN is displaced from the X-ray emission. A similar situation appears to be present in the remnants MSH15–56 (G326.3–1.8; Plucinsky 1998; Gaensler 2001), G327.1–1.1 (Sun, Wang, & Chen 1999), and G0.9+0.1 (Gaensler, Pivovaroff, & Garmire 2001) although pulsars associated with the X-ray emission have not yet been discovered in these cases. The broad regions of radio emission are excellent candidates for wind nebulae injected early in the pulsar evolution and crushed by the reverse shock.

A less clearcut case is the PWN inside W44 (Frail et al. 1996; Harrus et al. 1996). The radio nebula has a bow shock appearance, but the trailing emission is considerably broader and stronger than that near the pulsar. The ratio of PWN radius to outer shock radius is $`0.1`$. Although smaller than the case of Vela, this situation is expected in our models (see Fig. 3). The age of W44 is $`20,00030,000`$ years, but the relatively high density of its surroundings places it in a more evolved category than Vela (Chevalier 1999). Another remnant with relatively dense surroundings is IC 443, with an estimated age of 30,000 years (Chevalier 1999). Early radio spectral observations indicated the presence of a PWN (Green 1986), and recent X-ray and radio observations clearly show a bow shock nebula with a compact X-ray source at the head (Olbert et al. 2001). In this case, the radio emission region is narrow and is strongest close to the compact X-ray source; there is no clear sign of emission from a remnant nebula that has been crushed by the reverse shock front. The trailing emission is an approximately linear feature, but does not point toward the center of the remnant. This appears to be another case of an off-center explosion due to asymmetries in the surrounding medium. This situation may account for some of the high velocities deduced for pulsars from their positions relative to what appears to be their parent SNR (Frail, Goss, & Whiteoak 1994).

## 6 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We have considered the evolution of PWN (pulsar wind nebulae) inside of supernova remnants, with special attention to the effect of the reverse shock front on the PWN. It is possible that synchrotron losses are important for the PWN at early times, but they are unlikely to be significant at the times of interest here and the effect can be approximately accounted for by renormalizing the pulsar spin down energy. We do not treat the instabilities that can occur early in the evolution as a result of the acceleration of the shell outside the pulsar nebula (Jun 1998); these would only further contribute to the instabilities that we find later in the evolution.

Our simulations allow for two fluids: a $`\gamma =4/3`$ fluid for the PWN and a $`\gamma =5/3`$ fluid for the surrounding gas. We do not allow for the magnetic field that is expected to be mixed in with the relativistic particles and that can influence the evolution through magnetic tension. The field might affect the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities that occur when the PWN is compressed by the reverse shock gas and subsequently re-expands. The magnetic field can dampen the instability along magnetic field lines, but not across them, leading to the creation of filaments along the magnetic field direction. There is mixing between the fluids so that the separation of the two fluids depends on the numerical resolution of the two-dimensional simulations. The degree of mixing may also depend on the magnetic field.

In addition to causing mixing of thermal gas with the PWN, the reverse shock wave is unlikely to be spherically symmetric and can thus push the PWN off center from the explosion site. The position of a pulsar can be displaced from the explosion site both because of this effect and because of the velocity that the pulsar acquires at birth.

In comparing the model results with observations, it is important to correctly identify the evolutionary state of a PWN. During the initial phase when the PWN is interacting with the freely expanding supernova ejecta, the pulsar is expected to be approximately centrally located within the PWN. Even if the pulsar has a significant velocity, it will not have a particular position in the uniformly expanding medium unless there is a large density gradient in the medium. Nebulae likely to be in this phase include the Crab Nebula and 3C 58.

The next event in the evolution is the cessation of power input from the central pulsar. The outer edge of the nebula continues its free expansion, leading to a low surface brightness nebula that can have a substantial filling fraction within the external shock wave. The nebula MSH 15-52 around the pulsar PSR B1509–58 (Seward et al. 1984) may be in this phase.

Here, we have emphasized the late evolutionary phase after the reverse shock front comes back to the center of the remnant. An excellent candidate for this phase of evolution is the Vela X radio remnant within the Vela supernova remnant. The fact that the pulsar nebula is displaced from the pulsar can be explained in our model without the need for directed power from the pulsar. Asymmetries in the placement of radio PWNae relative to their pulsars are likely to be common in this phase because the interstellar medium is generally inhomogeneous.

Support for this work was provided in part by NASA grants NAG5-8130 and NAG-7153. The hydrodynamic simulations were computed on an IBM SP at the North Carolina Supercomputing Center.


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# Sr3CuIrO6, a spin-chain compound with random ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic interactions

## Abstract

Ac and dc magnetization and heat-capacity (C) measurements performed on the pseudo-one-dimensional compound Sr3CuIrO6 reveal a competition between antiferromagnetic (AF) and ferromagnetic (F) exchange couplings, as evidenced by frequency dependence of ac susceptibility and by the absence of a C anomaly at the magnetic transition. The value of the saturation moment (about 0.35 $`\mu _B`$/formula unit) is much smaller than expected for ferromagnetism from the two S=1/2 ions (Cu and Ir). Thus, this compound is not a ferromagnet in zero magnetic field, in contrast to earlier beliefs. Of particular importance is the finding that the value of the magnetic ordering temperature is sample dependent, sensitive to synthetic conditions resulting from deviations in oxygen/Cu content. We propose that this compound serves as a unique model system to test theories on random AF-F interaction in a chain system, considering that this competition can be tuned without any chemical substitution.

PACS Nos.: 75.50.-y; 75.30.Cr; 65.40.+g

Key words: A: Disordered materials; A: Magnetically ordered materials; A: Insulators. Additional: Low dimensional magnetism

One-dimensional (1D) quantum spin systems have been of interest to physicists and chemists over many decades and this direction of research gained momentum in recent years. In particular, there are considerable theoretical efforts in understanding the thermodynamics of random ferromagnetic (F) - antiferromagnetic (AF) chain behavior. From the experimental point of view, to test such theoretical ideas, one brings out such a competition by introducing disorder effects by chemical substitution in pseudo-1D systems, for instance, the solid solution Sr3CuIr1-xPtxO6, an often-quoted example (Refs. 1-4) assuming that the Cu end-member is ferromagnetic below 19 K. However, the identification of a compound in which such disorder effects can be tuned without chemical substitution is desirable to test any such theory to avoid possible complications due to changes in the electronic structure. In this article, we propose that the compound, Sr3CuIrO6, crystallizing in the monoclinically distorted form of K4CdCl6 structure (space group R$`\overline{3}`$c), characterized by the existence of magnetic chains of Cu-Ir-Cu separated by Sr ions serves itself as an example in this respect. At this juncture, we would like to state that this work is a continuation of our earlier efforts on isostructural Ru-based compounds.

We have investigated three different samples of the compound Sr3CuIrO6 systematically, with a reduction of Cu stoichiometry by 5 atomic percent for the third specimen (that is, Sr3Cu0.95IrO6). All these specimens were prepared by a conventional solid state reaction method from the stoichiometric amounts of high purity ($`>`$ 99.9%) SrCO3, Ir metal, CuO and ZnO, intimately mixed under acetone. The specimen 1 was prepared by preheating at 800 C for 33 hours; the preheated powders were thoroughly ground again, pelletized and subjected to a further heat treatment at 1150 C for 72 hours with three intermediate grindings. The specimen 2 was also prepared with the same procedure except that the heat treatment at 1150 C was for 100 hours with three intermittent grindings. The specimen 3 (Cu-deficient) was prepared by the same synthetic conditions as the specimen 1. The samples were characterized to be single phase (with monoclinic distortion) by x-ray diffraction (Cu Kα). We have measured dc magnetic susctibility ($`\chi `$) as a function of T (2-300 K) at different magnetic fields (H= 10, 100 and 5000 Oe) for the zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) states of the specimens and ZFC isothermal magnetization (M) at 2 K by a commercial superconducting quantum interference device (Quantum Design) as well as by a vibrating sample magnetometer (Oxford Instruments); in addition, ac $`\chi `$ measurements were performed in the vicinity of magnetic transition temperature (To) at various frequencies. The heat-capacity (C) measurements (2-40 K) were performed by a semi-adiabatic heat-pulse method; for sample 2, the data in the presence of external H were also taken by relaxation method.

We present the results of our investigations in Figs. 1-5. In sample 1, in the plot of $`\chi `$ versus T, measured at low fields, there is a steep rise below To = 19 K, signalling the onset of magnetic ordering consistent with the earlier reports. There is a corresponding sharp increase in the ac $`\chi `$ data as well; though we observe this both in real and imaginary parts, we show only the real part in Fig. 2 for the sake of clarity. A careful look at the available data reveals that the nature of the magnetic ordering is not as simple as the one reported (ferromagnetic?) in the literature. The plot of inverse $`\chi `$ versus T (Fig. 3) in the paramagnetic state at low temperatures (say, below 50 K) of course extrapolates to a positive value of paramagnetic Curie temperature ($`\mathrm{\Theta }_p`$) close to that of To, as if the magnetic ordering is of a ferromagnetic-type. At 2 K, we observe negligible variation of M (Fig. 4) for initial applications of H, that is, till about few hundreds of gauss. This behavior may be connected with ferromagnetism or spin-freezing. In the case of ferromagnetism pinning of domain walls causes a weak variation of magnetization. But the observation that the virgin curve after ZFC deviates from the center of the hysteresis loop (see insets of Fig. 4) favours spin-freezing. There is a sharp increase for H$`>`$ 300 Oe, followed by a tendency for saturation at higher fields. (These features are overall the same even at 10 K, though initial constancy of M is restricted to still lower fields). These features are typical of magnetic compounds exhibiting a spin-flip transition, thereby establishing that the zero-field magnetic structure in any case cannot be of a F-type. The C data (Fig. 5, vide infra) in fact reveals that the long range magnetic ordering is absent. Considering that there is a tendency for saturation of M at higher fields, we conclude that the application of H however drives the system towards ferromagnetic ordering; also, the magnetic behavior is hysteretic, as there is a remnance of M evidenced by hysteresis loops at 2 K (Fig. 4, inset). We observe that the negligible field-dependence of low-field M discussed above is absent in the reverse cycle of the hysteresis loop; this essentially means that there is a delicate balance between the history of the sample and the magnetic behavior. In order to derive information on the nature of the transition near To, we have also measured ac $`\chi `$ at various frequencies in the T range of interest in zero field as well as in the presence of 1 kOe (Fig. 2) below 40 K. In zero-field, there is a frequency dependence of ac $`\chi `$ including the decrease of the intensity of the peak as seen in Fig. 2; since the peak is broad, this dependence is more clearly visible by the movement of the left-hand-side of the peak; however, the data taken in the presence of 1 kOe at various frequencies overlap, without exhibiting any frequency dependence. These observations strongly endorse the points made above that in zero-field the compound behaves like a spin-glass, whereas at higher fields such frustration effects vanish. There is also a corresponding anomaly in the ZFC-FC dc $`\chi `$ data: at low fields (say, at 10 Oe), ZFC and FC $`\chi `$ tend to deviate near To, a characteristic of spin-glasses, and this divergence is absent at higher fields, say at 5 kOe - consistent with above conclusions.

With respect to sample 2, the anomalies due to magnetic ordering in the $`\chi `$ data appear below 13 K. It is to be stressed that the observed To is significantly lower than that reported in the literature and in sample 1. This clearly establishes that To is sample dependent for this compound and prolonging the heat-treatment well beyond 24 hours after each grinding thus depresses To \- a fact not known earlier in the literature - and we have confirmed this observation by repeated preparation of samples. In order to understand further the origin of this sample dependence, we have carried out energy dispersive x-ray analysis. We notice that the atomic ratios of metallic components are very close to the stoichiometry, but O contents are different in these two specimens; while in specimen 1, O content per formula unit is close to the ratio 6, specimen 2 contains excess oxygen (close to 7). It is therefore clear that prolonged heat treatment results in excess oxygen in-take apparently resulting in a depression of To. It is of interest to focus future studies on the site of extra oxygen. With respect to the nature of the magnetic ordering, we face the same situation as in sample 1, with the anomalies due to magnetic frustration being even more prominent. That is, unlike in sample 1, the ac $`\chi `$ peak temperature itself is found to be highly sensitive to frequency, shifting it upwards by as much as 1.6 K - much larger than in sample 1 - as the ac frequency is increased. While the plot of inverse $`\chi `$ versus T at low temperatures (below 30 K) extrapolates to a positive value of $`\mathrm{\Theta }_p`$ as if the compound undergoes ferromagnetic ordering, the low-field feature (nearly constant value) in the plot of M versus H at 2 K is the same as in sample 1. The frequency dependence of ac $`\chi `$ vanishes by a small application of an external dc magnetic field (say, 1 kOe); also the plot of M versus H and the hysteresis loop at 2 K look similar to that of sample 1 with comparable values (0.35 $`\mu _B`$ per formula unit) of the saturation moment (extraplolated to zero field). We therefore interpret that the spin-glass-like state turns to ferromagnetic ordering by the presence of a small magnetic field.

In order to understand how the vacancies at the magnetic Cu2+ site along the chain influence the magnetic behavior, we have also subjected the third specimen (Cu deficient) to careful investigations. From the data shown in Figs. 1-5, the features are broadly the same as in sample 1, however with the reduction of To (to about 17 K) compared to that of sample 1. This finding establishes that the value of To is very sensitive to vacancies as well. Otherwise, the interpretation of the experimental data remain the same as for other two specimens.

We now present the results of C measurements, which throw additional light on the nature of magnetism. The main finding is that there is no prominent anomaly in the C data (Fig. 5) in any of the three samples at To, except of a weak feature in sample 1. For a comparison, we also show in the Fig. 5 the data for the isomorphous Zn compound undergoing well-defined AF ordering at the same temperature; it is distinctly clear that the C jump at To for the Zn compound is about 7 J/mol K, whereas the corresponding value for the sample 1 of the Cu compound is less than 1 J/mol K. This finding renders strong evidence for randomness of magnetic interactions in zero-field. In order to probe the nature of the high field magnetic state, we have also taken the C data at various fields for one of the samples (sample 2); interestingly, the feature due to magnetic ordering does not become prominent as expected for perfect ferromagnets and C undergoes only a marginal increase just above To; there is even a decrease well below To, which may reveal complex nature of the magnetism of this compound (see inset of Fig. 5). Thus, the overall change of entropy associated with the transition must be small indicating a low-moment state even at high fields (possibly due to ferrimagnetic-like ordering from interchain interactions as in the case of the compounds reported in Ref. 11). In support of this conclusion, the saturation moment extrapolated from high fields (at 2 K) to zero H is rather low (about 0.35 to 0.4 $`\mu _B`$/formula unit) compared to the value expected if one assumes that there is a ferromagnetic ordering due to half-integer spin at both Cu and Ir sites and to the value of the effective moment (about 2.6 $`\mu _B`$ per formula unit) in the paramagnetic state, say in the linear region 250-300 K (Fig. 3).

While all the data discussed above present evidence for the existence of a competition between F and AF interactions in the magnetically ordered state, we do not prefer to call this compound a conventional spin-glass as the experimental features have been known in many situations where magnetic frustrations are favored by disorder. The nature of the magnetic interaction in the paramagnetic state, particularly whether this competition persists above To, remains to be answered. The plot of inverse $`\chi `$ versus T indeed offers an affirmative answer to this question. A common feature to all these three specimens is that this plot in the entire range of the paramagnetic state (Fig. 3) is found to be highly non-linear. Since this compound is an insulator, such a non-linearity cannot arise from (temperature independent) Pauli paramagnetic contribution. According to Ref. 3, it has to be attributed to a competition between AF and F exchange couplings. From the linear region of the plot of inverse $`\chi `$ versus T above 200 K, the sign of $`\mathrm{\Theta }_p`$ is found to be negative with a large magnitude (about -60 K); this establishes that the interaction between the spins are dominantly AF. With decreasing T, the spin correlation length increases with increasing domination of ferromagnetic coupling as indicated by the positive sign of $`\mathrm{\Theta }_p`$ at low temperatures. Thus there is a competition between AF and F exchange interactions varying with temperature even in the paramagnetic state. As evidenced by the existence of magnetic ordering at low temperatures, there is a crossover in magnetic dimensionality with decreasing T.

Summarizing, this work establishes that the compound, Sr3CuIrO6, is not a ferromagnet in zero magnetic field in sharp contrast to earlier proposals, but exhibits spin-glass like characteristics, which however can be suppressed by the application of a magnetic field. We thus have identified a chain compound, viz., Sr3CuIrO6, in which there is a competition between AF and F exchange interactions among the magnetic ions in the chain above and below magnetic transition temperature. This compound also offers an opportunity to tune this competition just by varying synthetic conditions and hence a nice candidate for further studies for better understanding of the theoretical predictions of such a magnetic competition in low dimensional systems. The results reveal that this compound is an interesting magnetic material, rich in physics and sufficiently motivating for further studies.

Acknowledgements: This work in Germany was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the SFB463. One of us (EVS) would like thank C. Laubschat for an invitation to Dresden, where a part of ac susceptibility studies were carried out. We are also grateful to Dr. Sudhakar Reddy (Germany) for elemental analysis of the samples.


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# 4U2206+54 - an Unusual High Mass X-ray Binary with a 9.6 Day Orbital Period but No Strong Pulsations

## 1 Introduction

The X-ray source 4U2206+54 was discovered with Uhuru (Giacconi et al. 1972) and subsequently the source position was precisely localized with HEAO 1 (Steiner et al. 1984). This led to the identification by Steiner et al. of a V = 9.85 optical counterpart, BD +532790, which these authors classed as a Be star based on its double-peaked H$`\alpha `$ emission line and derived a spectral classification of B1$`\pm `$1 from broad band optical photometry. A long term X-ray light curve of 4U2206+54 was also obtained by Steiner et al. from the Ariel 5 Sky Survey Instrument (SSI) which, although subject to large error bars, showed considerable variability. For the distance of 2.5 $`\pm `$ 1 kpc derived by Steiner et al. (1984) from optical photometry, the mean flux seen with Ariel V corresponds to a luminosity of 7.0 $`\times `$ 1034 ergs s-1. Saraswat & Apparao (1992; hereafter SA92) observed 4U2206+54 with EXOSAT three times with the observations separated by about one year. The EXOSAT light curves showed the source to be very variable and SA92 reported the possible detection of 392s pulsations. Saraswat et al. also obtained Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array (RXTE PCA) observations of 4U2206+54 on 1997 March 11 and 13 which had not been published. Additional optical observations are reported in Corbet (1986a) which showed the source to continue to exhibit strong double peaked H$`\alpha `$ emission and IUE ultraviolet spectra are reported by Teodorani et al. (1994).

This source thus initially appeared to be a fairly typical low luminosity Be/neutron star binary with a relatively long pulse period. Be/neutron star binaries contain a non-supergiant late O or early B type primary which possesses a variable equatorial disk from which H$`\alpha `$ emission occurs. The neutron star, which is often in an eccentric orbit, may accrete from this disk when it is present. Transient variability is typically observed in these systems due to both orbital modulation of the accretion rate, if the orbit is significantly eccentric, and variations in the Be star’s disk (see e.g. Stella, White & Rosner 1986, Bildsten et al. 1997, and references therein). The low luminosity and proposed long pulse period of 4U2206+54 suggested that the source may have a relatively long orbital period of perhaps hundreds of days. We report here on a search for the orbital period of 4U2206+54 using Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer All Sky Monitor (RXTE ASM) data and the discovery of a much shorter orbital period than expected of 9.6 days. This surprisingly short orbital period prompted us to analyze the archival EXOSAT and RXTE PCA light curves to search for the pulsations reported by SA92 and we find no evidence for these. The short orbital period and lack of pulsations now show 4U2206+54 to be much more unusual than previously thought. In addition, recent reports of more extensive optical and ultraviolet observations (Negueruela & Reig 2001, Negueruela et al. 2001) appear to call into question the Be classification of the primary star. These authors argue that the primary star in this system is not a Be star but instead is a very peculiar late O-type active star and that the ultraviolet and blue spectrum is dominated by a star of approximate spectral type O9.5V. This spectral classification is close to a classification of O9.5III?p given prior to the discovery of 4U2206+54 by Hiltner (1956) which Steiner et al. (1984) were apparently unaware of. This revised spectral type yields a somewhat larger source distance of $``$3 kpc and increases the implied mean source flux seen to about 1035 ergs s-1.

The RXTE ASM observations are presented in Section 2, the search for pulsations from pointed EXOSAT and RXTE data is described in Section 3, possible models that may explain the properties of 4U2206+54 are given in Section 4, and Section 5 concludes.

## 2 RXTE ASM Observations of 4U2206+54

The ASM (Levine et al. 1996) on board RXTE consists of three Scanning Shadow Cameras, sensitive to X-rays in an energy band of approximately 2-12 keV, which perform sets of 90 second pointed observations (“dwells”) so as to cover $``$80% of the sky every $``$90 minutes. The ASM provides light curves of several hundred sources including 4U2206+54 for which light curves are routinely constructed. The analysis presented here makes use of both the background-subtracted light curve obtained from the individual dwells and a daily averaged light curve constructed from the flux measured in individual dwells. The Crab produces approximately 75 counts/s in the ASM over the entire energy range and ASM observations of blank field regions away from the Galactic center suggest that background subtraction is accurate to a systematic level about 0.1 counts/s (Remillard & Levine 1997).

The daily averaged ASM light curve of 4U2206+54, heavily smoothed in order to make long term variability easier to see in this faint source, is shown in Fig. 1. The source is seen to be variable but is detected most of the time during the approximately 5 years of coverage. In order to search for periodic modulation, and hence determine the orbital period, we analyzed the light curve by calculating the power spectrum of the unsmoothed dwell data and found, in addition to low frequency variability, highly significant modulation on a period of $``$9.57 days (Fig. 2). In order to measure the period more precisely, and determine the error on this, we fitted a sine wave to the light curve. In order to take into account uncertainties caused by source variability as well as instrumental uncertainties in flux measurement we scaled the errors on individual points by a factor of $``$1.7 to force the reduced $`\chi ^2`$ of the fit to be 1. From this fit we find a period of 9.568 $`\pm `$ 0.004 days and, from this fit and an examination of and the folded light curve (shown in Fig. 3) we determine the epoch of maximum X-ray flux to be MJD 51006.1 $`\pm `$ 0.2. The folded light curve plotted in Fig. 3 has a profile which is approximately sinusoidal. We note that this is accumulated over a range of flux levels and it may be possible that profile changes could be connected with overall flux or that other profile changes may occur. The error bars in Fig. 3 are based on the distribution of fluxes in each phase bin and thus have contributions from both statistical uncertainty in the flux measurements and also changes in the overall flux level and any profile changes. In Fig. 4 we show a detail of the light curve in a form less heavily smoothed than Fig. 1 with times of expected maxima marked. This plot demonstrates that, when the source is relatively bright, individual cycles can be directly seen in the ASM light curve.

By analogy with other high mass X-ray binaries, the highly coherent period we find is expected to be the orbital period. For example, recurrent outbursts, particularly in Be star systems, can often occur on the orbital period (e.g. Stella, White & Rosner 1986, Bildsten et al. 1997). While the discovery of an orbital modulation was not unexpected, the length of the period at 9.57 days is surprising for several reasons: (i) the 392s pulse period reported by Saraswat would imply an orbital period of a few hundred days if the system had parameters consistent with the general correlation between pulse and orbital periods exhibited by most Be/neutron star systems (Corbet 1986b); (ii) the X-ray flux of 4U2206+54 is relatively low at $``$1035 ergs s-1 \- this would again suggest that the system has a long orbital period as a neutron star with a short orbital period would be able to accrete from the denser inner regions of the Be star envelope; (iii) an orbital period of this length would be shortest known for a Be/neutron star system apart from a possible 0.7 or 1.4 day period reported from optical observations of the SMC source AX J0051-73.3 (Cook 1998, Coe & Orosz 2000). The shortest known X-ray period for a Be/neutron star system is the 16.65 day period of A0538-66 (Skinner et al. 1980). A0538-66 has a super-Eddington luminosity when at its brightest and shows extreme optical spectroscopic and photometric variability (e.g. Charles et al. 1983, Corbet et al. 1985) unlike 4U2206+54 which has not so far exhibited such dramatic behavior.

## 3 A Search for Pulsations

### 3.1 Archival EXOSAT Observations

Because of the unexpectedly short orbital period that we found in the ASM data, we decided to reexamine the possible X-ray pulsations reported by SA92. We note that a fundamental limitation with the SA92 analysis is that they used a procedure not well suited to a search for coherent periodic pulses (pulsations). Instead of Fourier analyzing the entire light curve, SA92 divided their light curves into 5 segments of 2000 seconds each, computed a power spectrum of each segment, smoothed it, and then added the power spectra. This procedure is not ideal because it does not exploit the high coherence that a truly periodic pulse would have for the entire observation duration. In addition, the smoothing of a power spectrum is inappropriate in a search for truly periodic modulation. This type of procedure is, however, useful in the search for either quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) or for cases where the pulse loses coherence during an observation due to, for example, pulse period changes caused by accretion torques or orbital Doppler shifts. For 4U2206+54, as with other Be star systems, a pulse period of several hundred seconds is unlikely to be smeared out beyond the point of detectability by orbital motion during the course of an observation lasting less than one day.

EXOSAT observed 4U2206+54 three times: on 1983 August 8, 1984 December 7, and 1985 June 27. Using our orbital ephemeris we estimate that these observations were centered on orbital phases of 0.28 $`\pm `$ 0.20, 0.20 $`\pm `$ 0.18, and 0.30 $`\pm `$ 0.18 respectively. The source was strongly detected in the 1983 and 1985 observations but not in 1984. We therefore obtained the background subtracted 0.8 to 8.9 keV background subtracted light curves from the HEASARC for the 1983 and 1985 observations. The 1983 light curve has 10 s time resolution and the 1985 light curve has 1 s resolution. The last $``$25% of the 1985 light curve as shown in Fig. 3 of SA92, which contained some flaring activity, was not available in the HEASARC archive. Using these archival light curves we calculated power spectra, constructing a single power spectrum for each of the observations and without performing any smoothing. These resulting power spectra are shown in Fig. 4 and we find no evidence for any pulsations for periods longer than 2 seconds. Further, we see no signal with an amplitude greater than $``$10% and $``$7.5% at the period of about 392s reported by SA92 from the 1983 and 1985 observations respectively.

### 3.2 Archival RXTE PCA Observations

In addition to the EXOSAT light curves of 4U2206+54 observations were also obtained by Saraswat et al. using RXTE’s main detector, the Proportional Counter Array (PCA). This instrument is described in detail by Jahoda et al. (1996). It is an array of five Proportional Counter Units (PCUs) that have a total effective area $``$6500 cm2 and has a band pass of approximately 2 – 60 keV. Due to instrumental problems not all PCUs are always in operation and the observations reported here use varying numbers of PCUs. The PCA has a collimator which gives a field of view of 1 full width half maximum.

The RXTE PCA observations of 4U2206+54 were made on 1997 March 11 (04:14 to 09:46; “Observation 1”) and 13 (06:02 to 08:46; “Observation 2”) with a total exposure time of 20ks. The PCA data collection modes were “Good Xenon”, which provide full spectral information with a time resolution of about 1 $`\mu `$s, in addition to the two standard modes: “Standard 1” and “Standard 2”. “Standard 2” provides the full spectral information but at a time resolution of only 16s. The light curves from these observations are shown in Fig. 5. It can be seen that 4U2206+54 was significantly brighter in Observation 1 and we note that fortuitously the first observation was made close to the phase of the orbital maximum ($`\varphi `$$``$0.02) while the second observation was made at $`\varphi `$$``$0.23.

In order to search for any pulsations in the RXTE light curves we employed two techniques. First, to search for any slow pulsations, we employed the same technique that we used for the EXOSAT light curves on the Standard Mode 2 light curves. We calculated power spectra for the two observations independently and the resulting power spectra are shown in Figure 6. Again we find no evidence for any pulsations, in particular none are found at the 392 s period reported by SA92. Next, in order to search for any higher-frequency pulsations, we calculated a power spectrum from the background subtracted “Good Xenon” light curve. The light curve was binned into 2-10s (i.e. approximately 1 ms) bins, and then power spectra were calculated for stretches of 256s and these power spectra were then summed. Again no evidence is found for any pulsations and no QPOs were found. We note that Negueruela & Reig (2001) in an independent analysis of a portion of this data set also reach the conclusion that no low frequency pulsations are present.

We fitted the PCA spectra of 4U2206+54 from the two observations and find that a typical X-ray pulsar spectrum of an absorbed power-law with a high energy cutoff (e.g. White, Holt, & Swank 1983) gives a good fit and the parameters of the fits are given in Table 1. We note that the decrease in flux found in the second observation was apparently not due to an increase in the absorbing column density

## 4 Discussion - the Nature of 4U2206+54

4U2206+54 is clearly unusual for a Be star X-ray source with its short orbital period, low luminosity, and apparent lack of pulsations. In this section we discuss some possible models that may account for the properties of this system. Some of these models may account on their own for all of the properties of this system and some may account for just some of the source properties.

### 4.1 Be/Neutron Star Binary

Despite the peculiarities in the optical/UV spectrum of 4U2206+54 it still appears to meet the basic definition of a “Be” or “Oe” star as a main sequence star of early spectral type with variable H$`\alpha `$ emission. We may compare how the observed X-ray properties, in particular the orbital modulation, fit with a Be/neutron star interpretation. In high mass X-ray binaries orbital modulation may arise in several ways. In those systems which have short orbital periods and a supergiant primary eclipses may occur. However, in Be/neutron star binaries no eclipses of the X-ray emitting region have been detected - the smaller radius of the primary and longer orbital periods make the probability of the system inclination being sufficiently high for eclipses to be seen considerably smaller. In the case of 4U2206+54, although it appears to have an orbital period shorter than the majority of Be star systems, the probability of the inclination angle being high enough for an eclipse to occur is still low and any eclipse would be brief. For a 1.4 M neutron star and $``$10M primary the orbital separation would be $``$300 light seconds but the radius of a $``$B0V star is only $``$20 light seconds (Allen 1973). For these parameters the inclination angle would need to be greater than $``$87 for an eclipse to be seen, and even an inclination angle of 90 would yield a total eclipse duration of only $``$5 hours. The optical spectrum of 4U2206+54 shows a strongly double peaked H$`\alpha `$ emission line. This double peaked structure suggests that we may be viewing the source close to the plane of a circumstellar disk around the primary star and that the orbital inclination may also be high if the disk and orbital planes coincide. However, the inclination angle may still not be large enough for an eclipse to occur.

Be star systems often have eccentric orbits and, in these systems, the varying orbital separation typically leads to variations in the mass-transfer rate. The resulting modulation of the observed X-ray flux can be significantly amplified as, at lower mass-transfer rates, accretion can be halted almost completely by a magnetospheric barrier (e.g. Stella et al. 1986). Another form of orbital modulation may occur if the orbital plane is inclined from the plane of the circumstellar disk around the Be star. In this model enhanced accretion may occur twice per orbit (e.g. Shibazaki 1982, Priedhorsky & Holt 1987). This orbital modulation mechanism could apply even for circular orbits and again can be amplified by a sudden overcoming of the magnetic barrier. Disk/orbital-plane offset has been suspected for several systems and the best evidence to date for such a process to be at work may come from XTE J1946+274 (Wilson, Finger, & Scott 2000). We examined the ASM light curve folded on twice our proposed orbital period and there were no large differences between “odd” and “even” maxima or minima. If the orbital system is actually twice the 9.57 day period then the system would be less unusual. However, even if the orbital period of 4U2206+54 is $``$20 days we still lack strong evidence for the pulsations that would be expected if the compact object in the system is an accreting neutron star. If the system is actually pulsing but at a level below our detection threshold then many of the peculiarities might disappear. While accretion onto a black hole would produce X-ray emission without pulsations being present, the X-ray spectrum of 4U2206+54 appears typical for a neutron star.

### 4.2 Accreting White Dwarf

There are a large number of systems known that consist of a neutron star accreting from mass lost from an early type companion. In principle it should be possible for similar systems to exist where the accreting object is a white dwarf rather than a neutron star (e.g. Waters et al. 1989). For low mass X-ray binaries the white dwarf counterparts are cataclysmic variables which are systems consisting of a white dwarf accreting from a Roche lobe filling late type companion. However, the high mass white dwarf equivalents have not yet been definitely shown to exist. High mass systems with an accreting white dwarf would have a lower luminosity than an equivalent neutron star system due to the shallower potential well of the white dwarf. The possibility that 4U2206+54 might contain an accreting white dwarf was proposed by SA92. Accretion onto a white dwarf could produce X-ray pulsations if the white dwarf is itself strongly magnetized. However, in cataclysmic variables accreting non-magnetic white dwarfs are also known where there is no modulation at the rotation period of the white-dwarf (e.g. Córdova 1995).

Although no high-mass accreting white dwarf systems have yet been definitely shown to exist, we note that one object that has been proposed by some authors to be such a system is $`\gamma `$ Cas. This is a Be star X-ray source which has a very low X-ray luminosity ($``$1033 ergs s-1) and has no clear evidence of pulsations, despite occasional reports to the contrary which have been due to the large non-periodic variations present in the light curve (e.g. Parmar et al. 1993 and references therein). The nature of $`\gamma `$ Cas is still controversial and several models have been proposed. Kubo et al. (1989) have ascribed the X-ray emission from $`\gamma `$ Cas to accretion onto a white dwarf. These authors base their argument for this on the basis of the X-ray luminosity and the X-ray spectrum. However, other authors such as Robinson & Smith (2000, and references therein) have proposed non-binary models. For $`\gamma `$ Cas no strong evidence for it being a binary such as orbital modulation of the X-ray flux has been found which may argue against the white dwarf model. In contrast, the $``$10 day modulation in the X-ray flux from 4U2206+54 which we have now measured appears to be strong evidence for binarity. However, even though the luminosity of 4U2206+54 is relatively low, it may still be too high to be accounted for by accretion onto a white dwarf (cf. Waters et al. 1989, Apparao 1991).

### 4.3 Energy Release at a Neutron Star Magnetosphere

A model that can produce X-ray luminosities intermediate between accretion onto a neutron star and onto a white dwarf is if accretion is halted, and energy released at, the magnetosphere of a neutron star. The radius of the magnetosphere is determined by the accretion rate and magnetic field of the neutron star. If the magnetospheric radius is greater than the corotation radius, the radius at which material corotating with the neutron star would be at its Keplerian velocity, then the magnetosphere acts as a barrier to accretion onto the surface of the neutron star. The interaction between the accreted matter and and the magnetosphere will cause the rotation rate of the neutron star to slow and so gradually increase the size of the corotation radius. This model was initially suggested as a possible explanation for low luminosity states in transient low mass X-ray binaries (Stella et al. 1994). It has also been proposed, for example, for $`\gamma `$ Cas (Corbet 1996) and was also invoked as a possible explanation of a low intensity state observed in the Be/neutron star binary A0538-66 (Campana et al. 1995, Corbet et al. 1997) where the average X-ray luminosity was $``$5.5$`\times `$1036 erg s-1, significantly less than the super-Eddington luminosity exhibited by this source in its brightest states. During this low intensity state of A0538-66 no X-ray pulsations were detected although an earlier bright state observation had shown the presence of 69 ms pulsations (Skinner et al. 1982). In Be/neutron star systems the very large orbital modulation that can be present is often attributable to the magnetospheric barrier that turns on and off as the neutron star moves around the Be star in an eccentric orbit and the accretion rate varies and thus modulates the magnetospheric radius. If this barrier is always closed in 4U2206+54 then substantially less orbital modulation should be observed although, if the orbit is significantly eccentric, some modulation should still be observed as the accretion rate will still depend on the distance from the primary. In addition, as material is strongly inhibited from falling onto the neutron star poles, strong pulsations would not be observed. This model can thus explain both a lack of strong pulsations and a low X-ray luminosity for 4U2206+54. In addition, the source may be expected to be active for a larger fraction of the time than “standard” Be/neutron star binaries which effectively turn off when the magnetospheric barrier closes. This would then be consistent with the long term ASM light curve (Fig. 3) and the Ariel 5 SSI light curve (Steiner et al. 1984) which show 4U2206+54 to be detectable for a large fraction of the time.

If the magnetospheric “accretion” model is correct then it may still be possible for some accretion onto a neutron star surface to be occurring via material “leaking” onto the poles similar to that observed in A0535+26 during a low state (Negueruela et al. 2000). This would then produce modulation with a low pulsed fraction. Given the short orbital period of 4U2206+54 a relatively short pulse period could perhaps be expected based on the orbital/pulse period correlation for Be/neutron star binaries (Corbet 1986). Conversely, if accretion onto the surface of a neutron star is taking place, instead of being halted at a magnetosphere, then, based on the relatively low X-ray flux, a long pulse period would be expected (Stella et al. 1986).

### 4.4 Neutron Star Spin/Magnetic Axis Alignment

In order to explain the lack of X-ray pulsations from 4U2206+54 we can also make a comparison with another source which lacks pulsations. This source is the bright high mass X-ray binary 4U 1700-37 which has an O6f supergiant primary and a 3.4 day orbital period (e.g. Rubin et al. 1996 and references therein). In the case of 4U 1700-37 accretion is thought to take place from a strong stellar wind and, although its X-ray spectrum is similar to those of X-ray pulsars, no pulsations have been found from 4U 1700-37: White et al. (1983) give a 2% upper limit on pulsations between 160 ms and 480s and Gottwald report limits of 0.5 to 50% for periods between 3.9 ms to 50,000s. For 4U 1700-37 it has been speculated that the magnetic and rotation axes of an accreting neutron star in the system may be co-aligned (e.g. White et al. 1983) which would result in a lack of X-ray pulsations. This model might plausibly also apply to 4U2206+54. However, even though this model can explain a lack of X-ray pulsations, on its own it does not predict that the X-ray luminosity would be unusually low.

If 4U2206+54 contains a neutron star with a very low magnetic field then pulsations would also not occur. However, the high-energy cut-off in the X-ray spectrum can be interpreted as being the sign of an electron cyclotron scattering feature which, if present, would imply a very strong magnetic field (see e.g. Chanmugam 1992).

### 4.5 Wind Accretion

Another result that demonstrates the peculiar properties of 4U2206+54 has been reported by Negueruela & Reig (2001) and Negueruela et al. (2001) who find that the optical and ultraviolet spectrum is that of a very unusual late O type star. A major argument for this interpretation comes from a spectrum obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer which Negueruela & Reig (2001) report as showing a clear O type spectrum and the overall optical/UV spectrum shows signs of being composite. Accretion in this system is proposed by these authors to occur by accretion from a stellar wind rather than a Be star type circumstellar envelope. This model could thus account for the lower than expected X-ray luminosity as, since the primary is not a supergiant, the wind should be relatively weak. However, this wind accretion does not, in itself, lead to an immediate explanation for the lack of pulsations and an additional mechanism such as spin/magnetic axis alignment may need to be invoked. The long timescale changes observed in the X-ray flux would also appear to require that the wind itself would be variable on these timescales in this model. If the H$`\alpha `$ emission is not coming from a Be type disk, then another site is required for it. We note the possibility that some other peculiarity of the accretion process might result in peculiarities in the optical spectrum. For example, in the case where accreting material is halted at a neutron star magnetosphere this material may be accelerated and expelled from the system in some form of “wind”. The acceleration that will be experienced at the magnetosphere will depend on the radius of the magnetosphere and hence the accretion rate.

If the primary star does posses a significant wind then this may provide another mechanism for orbital modulation of the X-ray flux. At least for systems with a supergiant primary, orbital modulation may occur due to variable absorption in the line of sight caused by extended structures such as accretion wakes (e.g. Kaper, Hammerschlag-Hensberge, & Zuiderwijk 1994 and references therein).

## 5 Conclusion

4U2206+54 has several unusual properties, these include the lack of detectable X-ray pulsations, an orbital period that would be short for a Be-type X-ray binary, and a composite optical/UV spectrum. The strongest candidates for models currently appear to be either (i) accretion onto a neutron star magnetosphere from a Be star type envelope or (ii) accretion onto a neutron star with aligned magnetic and spin axes from the wind of the O type primary. The critical difference between these models is the primary mode of mass loss from the primary star. Of course, some other, as yet unexpected, phenomenon could be responsible for the unusual properties of 4U2206+54.

In order to understand the nature of 4U2206+54 additional observations are required. Optical spectroscopy over an orbital cycle might be capable of measuring radial velocity changes and thus determining the mass of the compact object thought to be present in the system. High resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the 6.4/6.7 keV iron line region may also be a possible discriminator between accretion onto the surface of a white dwarf or a neutron star (cf. Kubo et al. 1998 and references therein). A high statistical quality high-energy X-ray spectrum would be useful to search for the presence of a cyclotron line. If this were to be found this would be good evidence for the presence of a neutron star with a strong magnetic field. If this source is currently accreting but with the accreted matter halted at a neutron star’s magnetosphere then, if the accretion rate increases above the critical value, or if the neutron star spins down sufficiently to make the corotation radius larger than the magnetospheric radius, then the barrier would open and material would accrete directly onto the surface of the neutron star itself. If this happened the source would then become dramatically brighter and exhibit X-ray pulsations. Even if such a large brightness change does not occur, a deeper search for the presence of X-ray pulsations from 4U2206+54 may be useful. These may be present at a very low level even if most accretion is halted by a magnetospheric barrier. X-ray spectroscopy at different orbital phases could assist in understanding the cause of the orbital modulation, if structures such as accretion wakes are present then they could be revealed by systematic changes in the absorption column density. The long term variations in the X-ray flux should be caused by changes in the circumstellar environment from which the compact object is accreting. Simultaneous long term optical spectrometry and photometry may aid in determining whether this is a change in a Be star type circumstellar envelope or a wind.

We thank Ignacio Negueruela for communication of results prior to publication and the referee, Myron Smith, for useful comments. This paper made use of data obtained through the HEASARC online service, provided by the NASA/GSFC.

Figure Captions