The long helical jet of the Lighthouse nebula, IGR J11014-6103
Abstract
Context. Jets from rotation-powered pulsars so far have only been observed in systems moving subsonically through their ambient medium and/or embedded in their progenitor supernova remnant (SNR). Supersonic runaway pulsars are also expected to produce jets, but they have not been confirmed to so far.
Aims: We investigated the nature of the jet-like structure associated with the INTEGRAL source
Methods: We observed the Lighthouse nebula and its jet-like X-ray structure through dedicated high spatial resolution observations in X-rays (with Chandra) and in the radio band (with ATCA).
Results: Our results show that the feature is a true pulsar's jet. It extends highly collimated over ≳11pc, displays a clear precession-like modulation, and propagates nearly perpendicular to the system direction of motion, implying that the neutron star's spin axis in
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that jets are common to rotation-powered pulsars, and demonstrate that supernovae can impart high kick velocities to misaligned spinning neutron stars, possibly through distinct, exotic, core-collapse mechanisms.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- February 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201322588
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1309.6792
- Bibcode:
- 2014A&A...562A.122P
- Keywords:
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- X-rays: individuals: IGR J11014-6103;
- stars: jets;
- stars: neutron;
- supernovae: individual: MSH 11-61A;
- ISM: jets and outflows;
- ISM: supernova remnants;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Discussion (sec.3) expanded and typos fixed