# PSR B0656+14: Combined Optical, X-ray & EUV Studies

## 1. Introduction

Considerable uncertainty remains regarding the fundamental thermal parameters ($`T,N_H\&R/d`$) for PSR B0656+14. Radio derived DM estimates (790 $`\pm `$ 190 pc) disagree with the best $`N_H`$ model fits (250 – 550 pc). Reported calibration uncertainties associated with the low energy channels of the $`ROSAT`$ PSPC compromise the latter - although agreement between other $`ROSAT`$ PSPC & observed $`EUVE`$ fluxes obtained via a correction (e.g. for RX J185635-3754, Walter & An, 1998). We outline the results of such a correction to the existing PSPC datasets archived for PSR B0656+14 via substitution of the low energy channels with measured $`EUVE`$ fluxes, and by incorporating independently derived constraints to the Rayleigh-Jeans tail in the optical, discuss the implications for the neutron star’s thermal parameters.

## 2. Technical & Analytical Overview

Optimum thermal fits for $`T_{soft},T_{hard},N_H,R/d`$ were obtained for the archived $`ROSAT`$ PSPC data alone and the PSPC data with the suspect low energy channels substituted with the archival normalised EUVE flux. This substitution results in a significant change in solution space, as shown in Figure 1 (Edelstein et al. 1999). Based on integrated optical photometry, Pavlov et al. (1997) fitted a two component nonthermal/thermal model, the thermal fit defined by a parameter $`G`$ $``$ $`T_{10^6\mathrm{K}}(R_{10\mathrm{k}\mathrm{m}}/d_{500\mathrm{p}\mathrm{c}})^2`$ where $`G`$ = \[1 – 7\] (see Figure 1).

A 1$`\sigma `$ upper limit on the unpulsed component from the optical $`B`$ band light curve of Shearer et al. (1997) limits $`G`$ $``$ 4.4, 4.8 and 5.2, based on various optical extinction models to the pulsar (Golden, 1999). These optical results yields tighter constraints on parameter space, as can be seen.

## 3. Discussion & Conclusions

Combining the EUVE & ROSAT datasets in this way yields new solutions in parameter space that are further constrained independently via recent optical work. Assuming a simple blackbody form then $`T_{surface}`$ $``$ 5.0$`\times 10^5`$ K and for the $`N_H`$-derived distances of \[250 – 280\] pc, $`R_{\mathrm{}}`$ $``$ \[17.7 – 14.7\] km. Using the estimate of $`R_{\mathrm{}}`$ $``$ $`9.5_{2.0}^{+3.5}`$ km for Geminga as a working upper limit (Golden & Shearer, 1999) places PSR B0656+14 at a distance of no less than $`d`$ = $`152_{32}^{+55}`$. This suggests the possibility of parallax observations to independently derive $`d`$, with immediate implications for the $`R`$ parameter, and consequently models of the condensed matter equation of state.

## References

Edelstein, J., Seon, K.-I., Golden, A., & Kwok-in, K., 1999, sub. ApJ.

Golden, A., 1999, Ph.D. Thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Golden, A., & Shearer, A., 1999, A&A, 342, L5.

Greiveldinger, C., Camerini, U., Fry, U., Markwardt, C.B., Ogelman, H., et al., 1986, ApJ, 465, 35.

Pavlov, G.G., Welty, A.D., & Cordova, F.A., 1997, ApJ, 489, L75.

Shearer, A., Redfern, R.M., et al., 1997, ApJ, 487, L181.

Walter, F.M., & An, P., 1998, AAS, 192, 82.07.