| Chandra
image of compact nebula around Vela pulsar. The image shows a dramatic bow-like
structure at the leading edge of the cloud, or nebula, embedded in the Vela
supernova remnant. This bow and the smaller one inside it, are thought to
be the near edges of tilted rings of X-ray emission from high energy particles
produced by the central neutron star. Perpendicular to the bows are jets
that emanate from the central pulsar, or neutron star. As indicated by the
green arrow, the jets point in the same direction as the motion of the pulsar.
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The
rings are thought to represent shock waves due to matter rushing away from
the neutron star. More focused flows at the neutron star's polar regions
produce the jets. The origin of this activity is thought to be enormous
electric fields caused by the combination of the rapid rotation and intense
magnetic fields of the neutron star.
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