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J. P. Bernstein (U. Michigan), I. M. Harrus (Goddard Space Flight Center), P. O. Slane, B. M. Gaensler (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), J. P. Hughes (Rutgers U.), D. A. Moffett (Furman U.), R. D. Dodson (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
We present the analysis of X-ray data collected by the \textit {Chandra X-ray Observatory} during a 50 ks observation of the supernova remnant (SNR) MSH 11-62. We show that the spectrum of the central region of the SNR above 2 keV is dominated by non-thermal emission consistent with the presence of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) of angular radius ~ 5 arcsec (implying a physical radius ~ 8.5x10-5 kpc at a distance of 3.5 kpc). Our spatial and spectral analysis implies the presence of a compact object with a spectral index ~ 1.4 and a spin-down energy ~ 1036 erg s-1, a value sufficient to conclude that the PWN is rotationally powered. Our timing analysis yields a null result and so pulses from the compact object remain undetected.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.