A search for the radio counterpart of the unidentified γ-ray source 3EG J1410-6147
Abstract
We have made radio continuum, HI and X-ray observations in the direction of the unidentified EGRET source 3EG J1410-6147, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observations encompass the supernova remnant (SNR) G312.4-0.4 and the two young pulsars PSRs J1412-6145 and J1413-6141.
We derive a lower distance limit of 6 kpc to the SNR, although interpretation of positive velocity features in the HI spectrum may imply that the SNR is more distant than 14 kpc. PSR J1412-6145, with an age of 50 kyr, is the pulsar most probably associated with SNR G312.4-0.4. X-rays are not detected from either pulsar and diffuse X-ray emission near the bright western edge of the SNR is weak. Although there is circumstantial evidence that this western region is a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), the embedded pulsar PSR J1412-6145 is apparently not sufficiently powerful to explain the radio enhancement. The origin of the electron acceleration in this region and of the γ-rays remains unidentified, unless the distance to PSR J1413-6141 is at least a factor of 3 lower than its dispersion measure distance.- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- March 2003
- DOI:
- 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06265.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0211246
- Bibcode:
- 2003MNRAS.339.1048D
- Keywords:
-
- pulsars: individual: J1412;
- 6145;
- pulsars: individual: J1413;
- 6141;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 10 pages, plus 5 jpeg figures, MNRAS, in press. Full postscript or pdf including all figures is available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~md