Radio Observations of the Pulsar Wind Nebula HESS J1303-631 Field of View with ATCA

TL;DR

This study used ATCA radio observations to search for a radio counterpart of the evolved pulsar wind nebula HESS J1303-631, finding no extended emission but suggesting a possible supernova remnant in the field.

Contribution

First radio observations of the HESS J1303-631 PWN field with no detection of extended emission, providing insights into its nature and evolution.

Findings

No extended radio emission detected at 5.5 and 7.5 GHz.

Archival data show no significant emission at 1.384 and 2.368 GHz.

Possible shell-like structure indicating a supernova remnant.

Abstract

Based on its energy-dependent morphology the initially unidentified very high energy (VHE; E>100 GeV) gamma-ray source HESS J1303-631 was recently associated with the pulsar PSR J1301-6305. Subsequent detection of X-ray and GeV counterparts also supports the identification of the H.E.S.S. source as evolved pulsar wind nebula (PWN). We report here on recent radio observations of the PSR J1301-6305 field of view (FOV) with ATCA dedicated to search for the radio counterpart of this evolved PWN. Observations at 5.5 GHz and 7.5 GHz do not reveal any extended emission associated with the pulsar. The analysis of the archival 1.384 GHz and 2.368 GHz data also does not show any significant emission. The 1.384 GHz data reveal a hint of an extended shell-like emission in the PSR J1301-6305 FOV which might be a supernova remnant. We discuss the implications of the non-detection at radio wavelengths on the nature and evolution of the PWN as well as the possibility of the SNR candidate being the birth place of PSR J1301-6305.