Abstract: The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) [gamma]-ray observatory detects cosmic- and [gamma]-rays in the TeV energy range. HAWC was recently upgraded with a sparse detector array (the outrigger array), which increases the instrumented area by a factor of 4-5 and will improve the sensitivity at energies greater than 10 TeV. This thesis consists of a number of contributions towards the improvement of the performance of HAWC at the highest energies and the study of a prominent high energy source, 2HWC J2019+367. To decide on components of the outrigger array, simulation input is provided. A new Monte Carlo template-based reconstruction method for air shower arrays is developed. It reconstructs the core location and energy of [gamma]-ray showers. The goodness of fit of the method is utilised to separate the cosmic- and [gamma]-ray showers. This method significantly improves the HAWC shower reconstruction and combines the reconstruction of HAWC and the outrigger array. In-depth spectral and morphological studies of 2HWC J2019+367 are performed. 2HWC J2019+367 shows a hint of energy-dependent morphology. A new HAWC source is discovered in the vicinity associated with VER J2016+371. The preferred direction of the X-ray and TeV emission indicates their association, and their combined spectral modelling show that 2HWC J2019+367 is likely to be the TeV pulsar wind nebula of PSR J2021+3651.

This book reports on the extraordinary observation of TeV gamma rays from the Crab Pulsar, the most energetic light ever detected from this type of object. It presents detailed information on the painstaking analysis of the unprecedentedly large dataset from the MAGIC telescopes, and comprehensively discusses the implications of pulsed TeV gamma rays for state-of-the-art pulsar emission models. Using these results, the book subsequently explores new testing methodologies for Lorentz Invariance Violation, in terms of a wavelength-dependent speed of light. The book also covers an updated search for Very-High-Energy (VHE), >100 GeV, emissions from millisecond pulsars using the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi satellite, as well as a study on the promising Pulsar Wind Nebula candidate PSR J0631. The observation of VHE gamma rays is essential to studying the non-thermal sources of radiation in our Universe. Rotating neutron stars, also known as pulsars, are an extreme source class known to emit VHE gamma rays. However, to date only two pulsars have been detected with emissions above 100 GeV, and our understanding of their emission mechanism is still lacking.

Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are the most abundant TeV gamma-ray emitters in the Milky Way. The radiative emission of these objects is powered by fast-rotating pulsars, which donate parts of their rotational energy into winds of relativistic particles. This thesis presents an in-depth study of the detected population of PWNe at high energies. To outline general trends regarding their evolutionary behaviour, a time-dependent model is introduced and compared to the available data. In particular, this work presents two exceptional PWNe which protrude from the rest of the population, namely the Crab Nebula and N 157B. Both objects are driven by pulsars with extremely high rotational energy loss rates. Accordingly, they are often referred to as energetic twins. Modelling the non-thermal multi-wavelength emission of N157B gives access to specific properties of this object, like the magnetic field inside the nebula. Comparing the derived parameters to those of the Crab Nebula reveals large intrinsic differences between the two PWNe. Possible origins of these differences are discussed in context of the resembling pulsars. Compared to the TeV gamma-ray regime, the number of detected PWNe is much smaller in the MeV-GeV gamma-ray range. In the latter range, the Crab Nebula stands out by the recent detection of gamma-ray flares. In general, the measured flux enhancements on short time scales of days to weeks were not expected in the theoretical understanding of PWNe. In this thesis, the variability of the Crab Nebula is analysed using data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT). For the presented analysis, a new gamma-ray reconstruction method is used, providing a higher sensitivity and a lower energy threshold compared to previous analyses. The derived gamma-ray light curve of the Crab Nebula is investigated for flares and periodicity. The detected flares are analysed regarding their energy spectra, and their variety and commonalities are discussed. In addition, a dedicated analysis of the flare which occurred in March 2013 is performed. The derived short-term variability time scale is roughly 6h, implying a small region inside the Crab Nebula to be responsible for the enigmatic flares. The most promising theories explaining the origins of the flux eruptions and gamma-ray variability are discussed in detail. In the technical part of this work, a new analysis framework is presented. The introduced software, called gammalib/ctools, is currently being developed for the future CTA observa- tory. The analysis framework is extensively tested using data from the H. E. S. S. experiment. To conduct proper data analysis in the likelihood framework of gammalib/ctools, a model describing the distribution of background events in H.E.S.S. data is presented. The software provides the infrastructure to combine data from several instruments in one analysis. To study the gamma-ray emitting PWN population, data from Fermi-LAT and H. E. S. S. are combined in the likelihood framework of gammalib/ctools. In particular, the spectral peak, which usually lies in the overlap energy regime between these two instruments, is determined with the presented analysis framework. The derived measurements are compared to the predictions from the time-dependent model. The combined analysis supports the conclusion of a diverse population of gamma-ray emitting PWNe.

In view of the current and forthcoming observational data on pulsar wind nebulae, this book offers an assessment of the theoretical state of the art of modelling them. The expert authors also review the observational status of the field and provide an outlook for future developments. During the last few years, significant progress on the study of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) has been attained both from a theoretical and an observational perspective, perhaps focusing on the closest, more energetic, and best studied nebula: the Crab, which appears in the cover. Now, the number of TeV detected PWNe is similar to the number of characterized nebulae observed at other frequencies over decades of observations. And in just a few years, the Cherenkov Telescope Array will increase this number to several hundreds, actually providing an essentially complete account of TeV emitting PWNe in the Galaxy. At the other end of the multi-frequency spectrum, the SKA and its pathfinder instruments, will reveal thousands of new pulsars, and map in exquisite detail the radiation surrounding them for several hundreds of nebulae. By carefully reviewing the state of the art in pulsar nebula research this book prepares scientists and PhD students for future work and progress in the field.

The aim of this Thesis is to study the development of pulsar wind nebulae in the TeV regime and in doing so uncover more sources which have as yet not been observed at these wavelengths. It is found that the extent of pulsar wind nebula in the TeV gamma-ray increases with its age while no developmental relationship is seen concerning the luminosity or spectral index of the nebulae when observed in the TeV gamma-ray regime due to uncertainties in the measurements available. TeV gamma-ray upper limits are calculated for several nebulae observed in the X-ray regime allowing the strength of their magnetic fields to be constrained but only one new source, which was previously confused with its companion, was discovered, the Eel Nebula. Predictions of the fluxes of many of the sources for which upper limits are derived in this work have been calculated from observations of their emission in X-rays and some of these sources should be uncovered with the next generation CTA instrument.

Pulsars energise particles into lighthouse pencil beams and create extended relativistic outflows, pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). In the very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray wave band, these PWNe represent to date the most populous class of Galactic sources. Nevertheless, the details of the energy conversion mechanisms in the vicinity of pulsars are not well understood, nor is it known which pulsars are able to drive PWNe and emit high-energy radiation. Due to its large field of view and unprecedented sensitivity, H.E.S.S. is the first instrument to allow for deep surveys of the Galactic plane in VHE gamma rays. This work presents the first ever systematic investigation of the connection of VHE gamma-ray sources and PWNe. Besides presenting two new candidate PWNe detected in this search, it is shown that pulsars with large spin-down energy flux are indeed with high probability associated with VHE gamma-ray sources, implying the existence of an efficient mechanism by which a large fraction of pulsar spin-down energy is converted into kinetic energy of particles. The results presented here make it very likely that future more sensitive VHE gamma-ray instruments will detect a rapidly increasing number of lower-luminosity PWNe.