Radio Study of the Pulsar Wind Nebula Powered by PSR B1706-44
Abstract
PSR B1706-44 is an energetic gamma-ray pulsar located inside supernova remnant (SNR) G343.1-2.3 and it powers a compact pulsar wind nebula (PWN) that shows torus and jet structure in X-rays. We present a radio study of the PWN using Australia Telescope Compact Array observations at 3, 6, 13, and 21 cm. We found an overall arc-like morphology at 3 and 6 cm, and the "arc" shows two distinct peaks at 6 cm. The radio emission is faint inside the X-ray PWN and only brightens beyond that. We develop a thick torus model with Doppler boosting effect to explain the radio PWN structure. The model suggests a bulk flow speed of ~0.2c, which could indicate significant deceleration of the flow from the X-ray emitting region. Our polarization result reveals a highly ordered toroidal B field in the PWN. Its origin is unclear given that the supernova reverse shock should have interacted with the PWN. At a larger scale, the 13 and 21 cm radio images detected a semicircular rim and an east-west ridge of G343.1-2.3. We argue that the latter could possibly be a pulsar tail rather than a filament of the SNR, as supported by the flat radio spectrum and the alignment between the magnetic field and its elongation.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2023
- DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-4357/acb20d
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2301.13651
- Bibcode:
- 2023ApJ...945...82L
- Keywords:
-
- Pulsar wind nebulae;
- Supernova remnants;
- Polarimetry;
- 2215;
- 1667;
- 1278;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 16 pages, 9 figures, accepted by APJ