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PSR J2022 plus 3842: An Energetic Radio and X-Ray Pulsar Associated with SNR G76.9 plus 1.0We present Chandra X-ray Observatory, Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Radio Telescope (GBT), and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations directed toward the radio supernova remnant (SNR) G76.9+1.0. The Chandra investigation reveals a hard, unresolved X-ray source coincident with the midpoint of the double-lobed radio morphology and surrounded by faint, compact X-ray nebulosity. These features suggest that an energetic neutron star is powering a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) seen in synchrotron emission. Indeed, the spatial relationship of the X-ray and radio emissions is remarkably similar to the extended emission around the Vela pulsar. A follow-up pulsation search with the GBT uncovered a highly-dispersed (DM = 427 +/- 1 pc/cu cm) and highly-scattered pulsar with a period of 24 ms. Its subsequently measured spin-down rate implies a characteristic age T(sub c) = 8.9 kyr, making PSR J2022+3842 the most rapidly rotating young radio pulsar known. With a spin-down luminosity E = 1.2 x 10(exp 38) erg/s, it is the second-most energetic Galactic pulsar known, after the Crab pulsar. The 24-ms pulsations have also been detected in the RXTE observation; the combined Chandra and RXTE spectral fit suggests that the Chandra point-source emission is virtually 100% pulsed. The 2-16 keV spectrum of the narrow (0.06 cycles FWHM) pulse is well-fitted by an absorbed power-law model with column density N(sub H) = (1.7 +/- 0.5) x 10(exp 22)/sq cm and photon index Gamma = 1.0 +/- 0.2, strongly suggestive of magnetospheric emission. For an assumed distance of 10 kpc, the 2-10 keV luminosity of L(sub X) = 6.9 x 10(exp 33) erg/s suggests one of the lowest known X-ray conversion efficiencies L(sub X)/ E = 5.8 x 10(exp -5), similar to that of the Vela pulsar. Finally, the PWN around PSR J2022+3842 revealed by Chandra is also underluminous, with F(sub PWN)/ F(sub PSR) < or approx.1 in the 2-10 keV band, a further surprise given the pulsar's high spin-down luminosity.
Document ID
20110011891
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Arzoumanian, Z. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gotthelf, E. V. (Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Ransom, S. M. (National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville, VA, United States)
Kothes, R. (National Research Council of Canada Winnipeg, Canada)
Landecker, T. L. (National Research Council of Canada Winnipeg, Canada)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
August 13, 2010
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.4253.2011
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06EO90A
CONTRACT_GRANT: G05-6077Z
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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