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.

Pulsar wind nebulae -- H.E.S.S. -- Gamma rays -- Non-thermal emission mechanisms -- Spectral modelling.

In recent years, Cherenkov telescopes like H.E.S.S. have identified PulsarWind Nebulae (PWNe) at energies between 100 GeV and 100 TeV as one of the main source populations emitting gamma-rays at these energies. PWNe consist of electrons and positrons emitted by pulsars which radiatively cool down by undergoing synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering. In the case of inverse Compton scattering, the resulting photons show energies up to hundreds of TeV and are therefore making PWNe visible in the mentioned energy range. The first part of this work is dedicated to a model describing the spectral and spatial distribution of the gamma-ray emission from PWNe. Its application to the PWN created by the Geminga pulsar shows an agreement with measured flux values obtained by the Milagro and EGRET experiments. The modelled spatial extension coincides with Milagro observations. The aim of the second part is to verify previously derived analytical results concerning the spectral evolution of electrons due to inverse Compton scattering with a Monte-Carlo simulation using the exact Klein-Nishina cross section. Analytically expected spectral shapes have been qualitatively reproduced for both a burst-like and a stationary injection scenario assumingmono-energetic or blackbody distributed target photons.

Composite supernova remnants -- Morphological evolution -- Hydrodynamic -- Kinematic magnetic field -- Pulsar wind nebulae -- Particle evolution models -- Fokker-Planck transport equation -- Spherically-symmetric -- Axisymmetric -- Diffusion -- Drift -- Energy losses -- Saamgestelde supernova-oorblyfsels -- Morfologiese evolusie -- Hidrodinamiese -- Kinematiese magneetveld pulsarwindnewels -- Deeltjie evolusiemodelle -- Fokker-Planck transport vergelyking -- Sferies-simmetries -- Aksiaal-simmetries -- Diffusie -- Dryf -- Energie verliese.

Pulsars -- Pulsar wind nebulae -- Supernova remnants -- Gamma rays -- Non-thermal radiation mechanisms -- Neutron stars -- X-rays -- Multi-wavelength astronomy -- Astroparticle physics -- Numerical methods.