HST multi-epoch imaging of the PSR B0540-69 system unveils a highly dynamic synchrotron nebula
arXiv:0708.0290 · doi:10.1086/522033
Abstract
PSR B0540-69 is the Crab twin in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Age, energetic and overall behaviour of the two pulsars are very similar. The same is true for the general appearance of their pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). Analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images spanning 10 years unveiled significant variability in the PWN surrounding PSR B0540-69, with a hot spot moving at ~0.04c. Such behaviour, reminiscent of the variability observed in the Crab nebula along the counter-jet direction, may suggest an alternative scenario for the geometry of the system. The same data were used to assess the pulsar proper motion. The null displacement recorded over 10 y allowed us to set a 3sigma upper limit of 290 km/s to the pulsar velocity.
arXiv comment11 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
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- Imprints of the jittering jets explosion mechanism in the morphology of the supernova remnant SNR 0540-69.3
- The optical light curve of the LMC pulsar B0540-69 in 2009
- HST and VLT observations of the neutron star 1E 1207.4-5209
- Properties of the three-dimensional structure in the central region of the supernova remnant SNR 0540-69.3
- The first ultraviolet detection of the Large Magellanic Cloud pulsar PSR B0540-69 and its multi-wavelength properties
- The PSR J1124-5916 wind nebula in the near-infrared
- Atacama Compact Array Observations of the Pulsar-Wind Nebula of SNR 0540-69.3
- Optical Observations of PSR J0205+6449 - the next optical pulsar?
- Kinematics, structure and abundances of supernova remnant 0540-69.3
- Spatial Variations and Breaks in the Optical-NIR spectra of the Pulsar and PWN in SNR 0540-69.3