An extreme particle accelerator powered by pulsar PSR J1849−0001
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
23973366
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105036724588
Journal Title
Nature Astronomy
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Nature Astronomy (2026)
Suggested Citation
Zuo X., Zou Y.C., Zhu K.J., Zhu H., Zhu F.R., Zhu C.G., Zhu B.Y., Zhou X.X., Zhou R., Zhou P., Zhou M., Zhou J.N., Zhou H., Zhou B., Zhong W.J., Zheng F., Zhao Z.H., Zhao X.H., Zhao S.P., Zhao L.Z., Zhao L., Zhao J., Zhang Z.P., Zhang Y., Zhang Y., Zhang X.P., Zhang X., Zhang W.Y., Zhang S.S., Zhang S.R., Zhang R., Zhang P.P., Zhang P.F., Zhang L., Zhang J.L., Zhang H.Y., Zhang H.M., Zhang H., Zhang F., Zhang C., Zhang B.T., Zhang B.B., Zha M., Zeng X.T., Zeng W., Zeng T.X., Zeng H.D., Yue H., Yuan Q., Yu Y.H., You Z.Y., You X.H., Yin N., Yin L.Q., Ye X.A., Yao Z.G., Yang Z.H., Yang W.X., Yang R.Z., Yang M.J., Yang L.L., Yang F.F., Yang C.Y., Yang C.W., Yan T., Yan J.Z., Yan D.H., Xue L., Xu W.L., Xu R.X., Xu R.F., Xu D.L., Xiong Z., Xiong D.R., Xing Y., Xin Y.L., Xiao G., Xiao D.X., Xiang G.M., Xia J.J., Xia J., Xi S.Q., Wu Y.S., Wu X.F., Wu S., Wu Q.W., Wu H.R., Wu C.Y., Weng S.S., Wen T., Wei Y.J., Wei J.J., Wei D.M., Wang Z., Wang Z.X., Wang Z.H., Wang Y.D., Wang Y., Wang X.Y., Wang X.J. An extreme particle accelerator powered by pulsar PSR J1849−0001. Nature Astronomy (2026). doi:10.1038/s41550-026-02839-0 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/116465
Title
An extreme particle accelerator powered by pulsar PSR J1849−0001
Author(s)
Zuo X.
Zou Y.C.
Zhu K.J.
Zhu H.
Zhu F.R.
Zhu C.G.
Zhu B.Y.
Zhou X.X.
Zhou R.
Zhou P.
Zhou M.
Zhou J.N.
Zhou H.
Zhou B.
Zhong W.J.
Zheng F.
Zhao Z.H.
Zhao X.H.
Zhao S.P.
Zhao L.Z.
Zhao L.
Zhao J.
Zhang Z.P.
Zhang Y.
Zhang Y.
Zhang X.P.
Zhang X.
Zhang W.Y.
Zhang S.S.
Zhang S.R.
Zhang R.
Zhang P.P.
Zhang P.F.
Zhang L.
Zhang J.L.
Zhang H.Y.
Zhang H.M.
Zhang H.
Zhang F.
Zhang C.
Zhang B.T.
Zhang B.B.
Zha M.
Zeng X.T.
Zeng W.
Zeng T.X.
Zeng H.D.
Yue H.
Yuan Q.
Yu Y.H.
You Z.Y.
You X.H.
Yin N.
Yin L.Q.
Ye X.A.
Yao Z.G.
Yang Z.H.
Yang W.X.
Yang R.Z.
Yang M.J.
Yang L.L.
Yang F.F.
Yang C.Y.
Yang C.W.
Yan T.
Yan J.Z.
Yan D.H.
Xue L.
Xu W.L.
Xu R.X.
Xu R.F.
Xu D.L.
Xiong Z.
Xiong D.R.
Xing Y.
Xin Y.L.
Xiao G.
Xiao D.X.
Xiang G.M.
Xia J.J.
Xia J.
Xi S.Q.
Wu Y.S.
Wu X.F.
Wu S.
Wu Q.W.
Wu H.R.
Wu C.Y.
Weng S.S.
Wen T.
Wei Y.J.
Wei J.J.
Wei D.M.
Wang Z.
Wang Z.X.
Wang Z.H.
Wang Y.D.
Wang Y.
Wang X.Y.
Wang X.J.
Zou Y.C.
Zhu K.J.
Zhu H.
Zhu F.R.
Zhu C.G.
Zhu B.Y.
Zhou X.X.
Zhou R.
Zhou P.
Zhou M.
Zhou J.N.
Zhou H.
Zhou B.
Zhong W.J.
Zheng F.
Zhao Z.H.
Zhao X.H.
Zhao S.P.
Zhao L.Z.
Zhao L.
Zhao J.
Zhang Z.P.
Zhang Y.
Zhang Y.
Zhang X.P.
Zhang X.
Zhang W.Y.
Zhang S.S.
Zhang S.R.
Zhang R.
Zhang P.P.
Zhang P.F.
Zhang L.
Zhang J.L.
Zhang H.Y.
Zhang H.M.
Zhang H.
Zhang F.
Zhang C.
Zhang B.T.
Zhang B.B.
Zha M.
Zeng X.T.
Zeng W.
Zeng T.X.
Zeng H.D.
Yue H.
Yuan Q.
Yu Y.H.
You Z.Y.
You X.H.
Yin N.
Yin L.Q.
Ye X.A.
Yao Z.G.
Yang Z.H.
Yang W.X.
Yang R.Z.
Yang M.J.
Yang L.L.
Yang F.F.
Yang C.Y.
Yang C.W.
Yan T.
Yan J.Z.
Yan D.H.
Xue L.
Xu W.L.
Xu R.X.
Xu R.F.
Xu D.L.
Xiong Z.
Xiong D.R.
Xing Y.
Xin Y.L.
Xiao G.
Xiao D.X.
Xiang G.M.
Xia J.J.
Xia J.
Xi S.Q.
Wu Y.S.
Wu X.F.
Wu S.
Wu Q.W.
Wu H.R.
Wu C.Y.
Weng S.S.
Wen T.
Wei Y.J.
Wei J.J.
Wei D.M.
Wang Z.
Wang Z.X.
Wang Z.H.
Wang Y.D.
Wang Y.
Wang X.Y.
Wang X.J.
Author's Affiliation
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Peking University
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Sun Yat-Sen University
University of Science and Technology of China
Shandong University
Nanjing University
Southwest Jiaotong University
Nanchang University
Guangxi University
Nanjing Normal University
Yunnan University
Guangzhou University
Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
National Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hebei Normal University
National Space Science Center
Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yunnan Observatories
State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection & Electronics
School of Physics
TIANFU Cosmic Ray Research Center
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Peking University
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Sun Yat-Sen University
University of Science and Technology of China
Shandong University
Nanjing University
Southwest Jiaotong University
Nanchang University
Guangxi University
Nanjing Normal University
Yunnan University
Guangzhou University
Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
National Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hebei Normal University
National Space Science Center
Purple Mountain Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yunnan Observatories
State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection & Electronics
School of Physics
TIANFU Cosmic Ray Research Center
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are bubbles of relativistic particles, powered by the rotational energy loss of the central pulsars. The Crab Nebula, powered by the Milky Way’s most energetic pulsar, was discovered by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) as a PeV gamma-ray emitter, thereby establishing it as an extreme particle accelerator along with multiwavelength observations. Here we report LHAASO’s detection of a point-like ultrahigh-energy (UHE, photon energy E > 100 TeV) gamma-ray source associated with the PWN powered by PSR J1849-0001, a pulsar of spindown power 50 times lower than the Crab pulsar. The measured gamma-ray spectrum extends to PeV energies following a power-law distribution, with the PeV luminosity a few times higher than that of the Crab Nebula. Combined X-ray observations constrain the average magnetic field within the source to about 3 μG, and reveal an extreme particle acceleration efficiency approaching or even exceeding unity in the PWN, which we refer to as the ‘Aquila Booster’. The result challenges the particle acceleration theory in PWN and implies non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) conditions within the accelerator, potentially involving magnetic reconnection upstream of the termination shock.