The X‐Ray Structure and Spectrum of the Pulsar Wind Nebula Surrounding PSR B0540−69.3

Petre, Robert; Hwang, U.; Holt, S. S.; Safi‐Harb, Samar; Williams, R. M.

doi:10.1086/518019

Cited by 31 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…This value is larger than that inferred for Crab-like PWNs (see, e.g., Petre et al 2007) but supports the picture for strong collimation of jets. We caution, however, that this estimate should not be taken at face value and should only be considered as evidence of a highly magnetized wind, as it was inferred using the simple model of Kennel & Coroniti (1984), which assumes an isotropic energy flux in the wind.…”

supporting

confidence: 77%

UsingChandrato Unveil the High‐Energy Properties of the High Magnetic Field Radio Pulsar J1119−6127

Safi‐Harb

Kumar

2008

Astrophysical Journal

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PSR J1119À6127 is a high magnetic field (B ¼ 4:1 ; 10 13 G), young ( 1700 year old), and slow (P ¼ 408 ms) radio pulsar associated with the supernova remnant (SNR) G292.2À0.5. In 2003, Chandra allowed the detection of the X-ray counterpart of the radio pulsar and provided the first evidence for a compact and faint pulsar wind nebula ( PWN). We here present new Chandra observations that allowed for the first time an imaging and spectroscopic study of the pulsar and PWN independently of each other. The PWN is only evident in the hard band (above $2 keV) and consists of jetlike structures extending at least 7 00 from the pulsar, with the southern ''jet'' being longer than the northern ''jet.'' The spectrum of the PWN is described by a power law with a photon index À $ 1:1 for the compact PWN and $1.4 for the southern long jet (at a column density N H ¼ 1:8 ; 10 22 cm À2 ), and a total luminosity L X (0:5Y7:0 keV ) $ 4 ; 10 32 ergs s À1 , at a distance of 8.4 kpc. We rule out a single blackbody model for the pulsar and present the first evidence of nonthermal emission that dominates above $3 keV. A two-component model consisting of a power-law component (with photon index À $ 1:5Y2:0) plus a thermal component provides the best fit. The thermal component can be fit by either a blackbody model with a temperature kT $ 0:21 keV, or a neutron star atmospheric model with a temperature kT $ 0:14 keV. The efficiency of the pulsar in converting its rotational power,Ė, into nonthermal X-ray emission from the pulsar and PWN is %5 ; 10 À4 , comparable to other rotation-powered pulsars with a similarĖ. We discuss our results in the context of the X-ray manifestation of high magnetic field radio pulsars in comparison with rotation-powered pulsars and magnetars. Subject headingg s: ISM: individual (G292.2À0.5) -pulsars: individual ( PSR J1119À6127) -supernova remnants -X-rays: ISM

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supporting

confidence: 77%

UsingChandrato Unveil the High‐Energy Properties of the High Magnetic Field Radio Pulsar J1119−6127

Safi‐Harb

Kumar

2008

Astrophysical Journal

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“…The complex interaction between the PWN and such an envelope dominates the plerion multiwavelength morphology, as confirmed by Petre et al (2007) based on analysis of deep Chandra observations. Interestingly, Serafimovich et al (2004), using two HST images taken ∼4 yr apart, reported a tentative pulsar proper-motion measurement of mas yr Ϫ1 (for a pulsar projected 4.9 ‫ע‬ 2.3 velocity of km s Ϫ1 ), aligned with the putative 1190 ‫ע‬ 560 southern jet of the PWN.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Hubble Space Telescope Multiepoch Imaging of the PSR B0540-69 System Unveils a Highly Dynamic Synchrotron Nebula

Luca

Mignani

Caraveo

et al. 2007

ApJ

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PSR B0540Ϫ69 is the Crab twin in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The age and energetic and overall behavior of the two pulsars are very similar. The same is true for the general appearance of their pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). Analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images spanning 10 yr unveiled significant variability in the PWN surrounding PSR B0540Ϫ69, with a hot spot moving at ∼0.04c. Such behavior, reminiscent of the variability observed in the Crab Nebula along the counterjet direction, may suggest an alternative scenario for the geometry of the system. The same data were used to assess the pulsar proper motion. The null displacement recorded over 10 yr allowed us to set a 3 j upper limit of 290 km s Ϫ1 to the pulsar velocity.

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“…Unfortunately, for PSR B0540−69 the scenario is not as clear since no proper motion has been measured so far, and Chandra observations (Gotthelf & Wang 2000;Petre et al 2007) could only partially resolve the morphology of the PWN, although its clear asymmetry might hint at the existence of a torus and, possibly, of a jet. A similar PWN morphology was also observed in the optical from HST/WFPC2 observations (Caraveo et al 2000).…”

Section: The Pulsar Polarisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Like the Crab, PSR B0540−69 is also embedded in a bright pulsar wind nebula (PWN) visible at wavelengths from the optical to the soft/hard X-rays (e.g. De Luca et al 2007;Petre et al 2007;Słowikowska et al 2007). After its discovery, PSR B0540−69 has been observed by nearly all X-ray satellites, EXOSAT (Ögelman & Hasinger 1990), Ginga (Nagase et al 1990), ROSAT (Finley et al 1993), BeppoSax (Mineo et al 1999), Chandra (Kaaret et al 2001), Rossi-XTE (de Plaa et al 2003), ASCA (Hirayama et al 2002), Integral (Słowikowska et al 2007), and Swift (Campana et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

HST/WFPC2 observations of the LMC pulsar PSR B0540–69

Mignani¹,

Sartori

Luca

et al. 2010

A&A

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Context. The study of the younger, and brighter, pulsars is important for understanding the optical emission properties of isolated neutron stars through observations which, even in the 10 m-class telescope era, are much more challenging for older and fainter objects. PSR B0540−69, the second brightest (V ∼ 22) optical pulsar, is obviously a primary target for these investigations. Aims. The aims of this work are several: (i) constraining the pulsar proper motion and its velocity on the plane of the sky and improving the determination of the pulsar coordinates through optical astrometry; (ii) obtaining a more precise characterisation of the pulsar optical spectral energy distribution (SED) through a consistent set of multi-band, high-resolution, imaging photometry observations and studying the relation with the X-ray spectrum, including the presence of a spectral turnover between the two bands. Last, we aim at (iii) measuring the pulsar optical phase-averaged linear polarisation, for which only a preliminary and uncertain measurement has been obtained so far from ground-based observations, and at testing the predictions of different neutron star magnetosphere models. Methods. We performed high-resolution observations of PSR B0540−69 with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), in both direct imaging and polarimetry modes. Results. From multi-epoch astrometry we set a 3σ upper limit of 1 mas yr −1 on the pulsar proper motion, implying a transverse velocity <250 km s −1 at the 50 kpc LMC distance. Moreover, we determined the pulsar absolute position with an unprecedented accuracy of 70 mas. From multi-band photometry we characterised the pulsar power-law spectrum and derived the most accurate measurement of the spectral index (α O = 0.70 ± 0.07), which indicates a spectral turnover between the optical and X-ray bands. Finally, from polarimetry we obtained a new measurement of the pulsar phase-averaged polarisation degree (PD = 16% ± 4%), consistent with magnetosphere models, depending on the actual intrinsic polarisation degree and depolarisation factor, and we found that the polarisation vector (22• ± 12• position angle) is possibly aligned with the semi-major axis of the pulsar-wind nebula and with the apparent proper motion direction of its bright emission knot. Conclusions. Deeper studies with the HST can only be possible with the refurbished Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and with the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3).

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The X‐Ray Structure and Spectrum of the Pulsar Wind Nebula Surrounding PSR B0540−69.3

Cited by 31 publications

References 46 publications

UsingChandrato Unveil the High‐Energy Properties of the High Magnetic Field Radio Pulsar J1119−6127

UsingChandrato Unveil the High‐Energy Properties of the High Magnetic Field Radio Pulsar J1119−6127

Hubble Space Telescope Multiepoch Imaging of the PSR B0540-69 System Unveils a Highly Dynamic Synchrotron Nebula

HST/WFPC2 observations of the LMC pulsar PSR B0540–69

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