Parkes Radio and NuSTAR X-ray Observations of the Composite Supernova Remnant B0453-685 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

TL;DR

This study combines radio and X-ray observations to analyze the PWN B0453-685 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, constraining its spectrum, searching for pulsations, and identifying a new high-mass X-ray binary candidate.

Contribution

It provides new upper limits on pulsar emissions and characterizes the PWN spectrum, enhancing understanding of this supernova remnant and its potential pulsar.

Findings

No pulsar detected with upper limit of 12 μJy in radio

Hard X-ray pulsed fraction constrained to 56% at 3σ

Photon index of PWN in X-ray band measured as 1.91 ± 0.20

Abstract

Gamma-ray emission is observed coincident in position to the evolved, composite supernova remnant (SNR) B0453-685. Prior multi-wavelength investigations of the region indicate that the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) within the SNR is the most likely origin for the observed gamma-rays, with a possible pulsar contribution that becomes significant at energies below E ~ 5GeV. Constraints on the PWN hard X-ray spectrum are important for the most accurate broadband representation of PWN emission and determining the presence of a gamma-ray pulsar component. The results of Parkes radio and NuSTAR X-ray observations are presented on PWN B0453-685. We perform a search for the central pulsar in the new Parkes radio data, finding an upper limit of 12uJy. A pulsation search in the new NuSTAR observation additionally provides a 3sigma upper-limit on the hard X-ray pulsed fraction of 56%. The PWN is best characterized with a photon index Gamma_X = 1.91 +\- 0.20 in the 3-78keV NuSTAR data and the results are incorporated into existing broadband models. Lastly, we characterize a serendipitous source detected by Chandra and NuSTAR that is considered a new high mass X-ray binary candidate.