Chandra Study of the Pulsar Wind Nebula in the Supernova Remnant MSH 11-62
Abstract
We present the analysis of X-ray data collected by the \textit {Chandra X-ray Observatory} during a 50 ks observation of the supernova remnant (SNR) MSH 11-62. We show that the spectrum of the central region of the SNR above 2 keV is dominated by non-thermal emission consistent with the presence of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) of angular radius ∼ 5 arcsec (implying a physical radius ∼ 8.5x10-5 kpc at a distance of 3.5 kpc). Our spatial and spectral analysis implies the presence of a compact object with a spectral index ∼ 1.4 and a spin-down energy ∼ 1036 erg s-1, a value sufficient to conclude that the PWN is rotationally powered. Our timing analysis yields a null result and so pulses from the compact object remain undetected.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003AAS...20313303B