ROSAT HRI observation of the supernova remnant Kes 32 and the nearby radio pulsar PSR B1610-50

We present the results of a deep ROSAT HRI observation of the supernova remnant Kes 32 and the possibly associated pulsar PSR B1610-50. The supernova remnant shows strongly energy dependent complex structures in a comparison with the ASCA GIS and ROSAT PSPC data with low foreground absorption (N_H ~ 5*E(21) cm(-2) ). The pulsar is not seen in the HRI image indicating a high absorbing column density (N_H >~ 5*E(22) cm(-2) ) along the line of sight, making the physical connection between Kes 32 and PSR B1610-50 unlikely. The elongated structure south of the pulsar, interpreted as a pulsar jet, might be an unrelated foreground emission.