Non-detection of a pulsar-powered nebula in Puppis A, and implications for the nature of the radio-quiet neutron star RX J0822-4300

Abstract

We report on a deep radio search for a pulsar wind nebula associated with the radio-quiet neutron star RX J0822-4300 in the supernova remnant Puppis A. The well-determined properties of Puppis A allow us to constrain the size of any nebula to less than 30 arcsec; however we find no evidence for such a source on any spatial scale up to 30 arcmin. These non-detections result in an upper limit on the radio luminosity of any pulsar-powered nebula which is three orders of magnitude below what would be expected if RX J0822-4300 was an energetic young radio pulsar beaming away from us, and cast doubt on a recent claim of X-ray pulsations from this source. The lack of a radio nebula leads us to conclude that RX J0822-4300 has properties very different from most young radio pulsars, and that it represents a distinct population which may be as numerous, or even more so, than radio pulsars.

arXiv comment5 pages, including 2 embedded EPS figures, uses emulateapj.sty. Accepted to ApJ Letters (minor changes made following referee's report)

References in corpus (9)

• Neutron Star Population Dynamics.II: 3D Space Velocities of Young Pulsars
• Discovery of Two High-Magnetic-Field Radio Pulsars
• The Compact Central Object in Cas A: A Neutron Star with Hot Polar Caps or a Black Hole?
• SNR G320.4-01.2 and PSR B1509-58: New radio observations of a complex interacting system
• Precision Timing of Two Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars
• The implications of radio-quiet neutron stars
• X-ray observations of the high magnetic field radio pulsar PSR J1814-1744
• A high-resolution radio survey of the Vela supernova remnant
• X-ray Pulsations from the Central Source in Puppis A

Cited by in corpus (19)

• On Young Neutron Stars as Propellers and Accretors with Conventional Magnetic Fields
• A Bow Shock Nebula Around a Compact X-Ray Source in the Supernova Remnant IC443
• The Proper Motion, Parallax, and Origin of the Isolated Neutron Star RX J185635-3754
• PSR J1124-5916: discovery of a young, energetic pulsar in the supernova remnant G292.0+1.8
• An X-ray Search for Compact Central Sources in Supernova Remnants I: SNRs G093.3+6.9, G315.4-2.3, G084.2+0.8, & G127.1+0.5
• Fading of the Transient Anomalous X-ray Pulsar XTE J1810-197
• Chandra X-ray Observation of a Mature Cloud-Shock Interaction in the Bright Eastern Knot Region of Puppis A
• A radio supernova remnant associated with the young pulsar J1119-6127
• Direct Measurement of Neutron-Star Recoil in the Oxygen-Rich Supernova Remnant Puppis A
• Observations of the neutral hydrogen surrounding the radio quiet neutron star RX J0822-4300 in Puppis A
• X-ray observations of the compact central object in supernova remnant G347.3-0.5
• Hyperfast pulsars as the remnants of massive stars ejected from young star clusters
• X-ray observations of RX J0822-4300 and Puppis-A
• The Relation Between the Surface Brightness and the Diameter for Galactic Supernova Remnants
• New VLA observations of the SNR Puppis A: the radio properties and the correlatoin withe the X-ray emission
• The Very Young Radio Pulsar J1357-6429
• Constraining the Evolutionary Fate of Central Compact Objects: "Old" Radio Pulsars in Supernova Remnants
• Six Years of Chandra Observations of Supernova Remnants
• Transient Radio Neutron Stars