Distance Determination to the Crab-like PWN G54.1+0.3 and Search for its Supernova Remnant Shell

TL;DR

This study identifies a large-scale shell around the Crab-like PWN G54.1+0.3, estimates its distance, and explores its possible nature as a supernova remnant or thermal shell, using multi-wavelength observations and spectral analysis.

Contribution

It provides the first detection of a surrounding shell around G54.1+0.3 and estimates its distance, offering insights into its nature and relationship with the PWN.

Findings

A large radio and infrared shell G53.9+0.2 is discovered around G54.1+0.3.

G54.1+0.3 is estimated to be at about 6.2 kpc distance.

The large shell is likely at approximately 7.3 kpc, possibly a supernova remnant or thermal shell.

Abstract

We discover a large-scale shell G53.9+0.2 around the Crab-like pulsar wind nebula (PWN) G54.1+0.3 with 1420 MHz continuum VLA observations. This is confirmed by a new infrared image at 8 \mu m from the GLIMPSE Legacy Project, which reveals an intriguing infrared shell just surrounding the large radio shell. We analyze the 21 cm HI absorption spectra and 13CO emission spectra towards PWN G54.1+0.3 and bright sources on both radio and IR shells. Continuous HI absorption up to the tangent point and absence of negative HI absorption features imply that PWN G54.1+0.3 has a distance beyond the tangent point but within the Solar circle, i.e. 4.5 to 9 kpc. G54.1+0.3 is likely at distance of \simeq 6.2 kpc due to the morphological association between the PWN and a CO molecular cloud at velocity of \simeq 53 km/s, as revealed by high-resolution 13CO images. Based on the HI absorption spectrum and recombination line velocity (\simeq 40 km/s) of the bright HII region G54.09-0.06, which is on the IR shell, the IR shell is likely located at a distance of \simeq 7.3 kpc, which is also the distance of the associated large-scale radio shell. At this distance, the radio shell has a radius of ~ 30 pc. The radio shell may be thermal and lack IR emission due to dust destruction, or it may be nonthermal and part of a newly found old SNR. In either case it is located at a different distance than PWN G54.1+0.3.