Niccolo' Bucciantini - Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the Light of IXPE

#Colloquium

Title: "Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the Light of IXPE"
Speaker: Niccolo' Bucciantini (INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri)

Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe) are among the most prominent high-energy astrophysical sources, providing a unique environment for investigating particle acceleration, relativistic fluid dynamics, and non-thermal emission processes. Their study has remained at the forefront of astrophysical research for over five decades. Owing to advances in high-resolution X-ray imaging and increasingly sophisticated numerical simulations, a canonical paradigm has emerged over the past 20–30 years. Despite its overall success, several fundamental questions remain unresolved. Chief among these is the nature of the particle acceleration mechanism operating within these systems, which continues to challenge theoretical understanding. In recent years, turbulence has been proposed as a promising avenue to address some of these longstanding issues. In this context, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has provided an unprecedented opportunity to directly probe the magnetic field geometry and to constrain the level of turbulence within PWNe. However, its observational results appear to be, at least in part, at odds with theoretical expectations, suggesting that key physical ingredients may still be missing from current models. In this work, I review the current state of our understanding of PWNe, with particular emphasis on recent IXPE observations. I highlight both areas of agreement and tension between theory and observations, and discuss the implications for future developments in the field.

Видео Niccolo' Bucciantini - Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the Light of IXPE канала Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC)