On the Gamma-Ray Nebula of Vela Pulsar. I. Very Slow Diffusion of Energetic Electrons within the TeV Nebula.

High-energy particle transport in pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) plays an essential role in explaining the characteristics revealed in multiwavelength observations. In this paper, the TeV–gamma-ray-emitting electrons in the Vela X PWN are approximated to be injected impulsively when the cocoon is formed due to the interaction between the SNR reverse shock and the PWN. By solving the diffusion-loss equation analytically, we reproduce the broadband spectral energy distribution and surface brightness profile simultaneously. The diffusion coefficient of TeV electrons and positrons, which is well constrained by the spectral and spatial properties of the TeV nebula, is thus determined to be 1 × 10²⁶ cm² s⁻¹ for 10 TeV electrons and positrons. This coefficient is more than three orders of magnitude lower than that in the interstellar medium, in agreement with a constraint recently obtained from HAWC observations of a TeV nebula associated with the Geminga pulsar. These results suggest that slow diffusion of high-energy particles might be common in PWNe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]