Near-Infrared and Optical Limits for the Central X-ray Point Source in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant

Abstract

Near-infrared images of the center of the Cas A supernova remnant taken with the NICMOS 2 camera on HST using the F110W and F160W filters (~J & ~H bands) have magnitude limits of 26.2 and 24.6 respectively, but reveal no sources within a 1.2" radius of the Chandra detected central X-ray point source (XPS). The NICMOS data, taken together with broadband optical magnitude limits (R ~ 28 mag) obtained from a deep STIS CCD exposure taken with a clear filter (50CCD), indicate that the XPS luminosities are very low in the optical/NIR bands (e.g., L_H < 3 x E29 erg/s) with no optical, J, or H band counterpart to the XPS easily detectable by HST. We discuss the nature of the Cas A central compact object based upon these new near-infrared and optical flux limits.

14 pages including 6 tables and 3 figures. To appear in the Astrophysical Journal

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• First search for gravitational waves from the youngest known neutron star
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• Searching for gravitational waves from Cassiopeia A with LIGO
• Direct Confirmation of the Asymmetry of the Cas A Supernova with Light Echoes
• Magnetic Phases in Three-Flavor Color Superconductivity
• AKARI and BLAST Observations of the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant and Surrounding Interstellar Medium
• Optical, ultraviolet, and infrared observations of isolated neutron stars
• A dedicated Chandra ACIS observation of the central compact object in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant
• Small-Scale X-ray Variability in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant
• A JWST Survey of the Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A
• The Reddening Towards Cassiopeia A's Supernova: Constraining the 56Ni Yield
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• A Search for Fallback Disks in Four Young Supernova Remnants
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• Deep infrared observations of the puzzling central X-ray source in RCW103
• No surviving stellar companion for Cassiopeia A
• Optical and Infrared Observations of the X-ray source 1WGA J1713.4$-$3949 in the G347.3-0.5 SNR
• Near Infrared Counterpart of 2E 1613.5-5053, the Central Source in Supernova Remnant RCW 103
• HST and VLT observations of the neutron star 1E 1207.4-5209
• VLT observations of the Central Compact Object in the Vela Jr. supernova remnant
• An X-ray study of the SNR G344.7-0.1 and the central object CXOU J170357.8-414302
• What causes the absence of pulsations in Central Compact Objects in Supernova Remnants?
• Evidence for a Binary Companion to the Central Compact Object 1E 1207.4-5209
• Searching for Debris Disks around Isolated Pulsars
• Hints of a second explosion (a quark nova) in Cassiopeia A Supernova
• An X-ray upper limit on the presence of a Neutron Star for the Small Magellanic Cloud and Supernova Remnant 1E0102.2-7219