Measurement of Spectral Breaks in Pulsar Wind Nebulae with Millimeter-Wave Interferometry
Abstract
We have observed pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) in the three supernova remnants G11.2-0.3, G16.7+0.1, and G29.7-0.3 at 89 GHz with the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association array, measuring total flux densities of two of them for comparison with archival data at other frequencies. In G16.7+0.1, we find a break in the spectrum of the PWN at ~26 GHz. In G29.7-0.3, our data suggest a break in the integrated spectrum of the central nebula at ~55 GHz, lower than previously estimated. However, we have found spatial structure in the spectrum of this nebula. The emission to the north of pulsar J1846-0258 has a broken spectrum with break frequency <~100 GHz, consistent with a conventional pulsar-powered nebula. The emission to the south of the pulsar has a nearly power-law spectrum from radio to X-rays: this component may be unrelated to the PWN, or it may be evidence of asymmetries and/or time evolution in the pulsar's energy output. We present 89 GHz images of each remnant.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- June 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1086/429789
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0502387
- Bibcode:
- 2005ApJ...626..343B
- Keywords:
-
- Stars: Pulsars: Individual: Alphanumeric: PSR J1846-0258;
- Radio Continuum: ISM;
- Stars: Supernovae: Individual: Alphanumeric: G11.2-0.3;
- Stars: Supernovae: Individual: Alphanumeric: G16.7+0.1;
- Stars: Supernovae: Individual: Alphanumeric: G29.7-0.3;
- ISM: Supernova Remnants;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, including 7 eps figures. ApJ, in press