Detection of Diffuse Radio Emission inside the Supernova Remnant G338.3-0.0 associated with the Gamma-ray Source HESS J1640-465

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of diffuse radio emission in SNR G338.3-0.0, likely originating from a pulsar wind nebula powered by PSR J1640-4631, and models its broadband emission to understand its evolution and particle escape.

Contribution

It presents new MeerKAT radio observations revealing a PWN within the SNR and models its broadband spectrum to study its interaction with the reverse shock.

Findings

Radio emission overlaps with X-ray PWN and gamma-ray source.

The PWN is interacting with the reverse shock, indicating a specific evolutionary stage.

The PWN may be a source of Galactic PeV electrons and positrons.

Abstract

We report the discovery of diffuse radio emission within SNR G338.3-0.0 using new MeerKAT observations at 816 MHz and 1.4 GHz. The radio emission spatially overlaps with the X-ray pulsar wind nebula (PWN) powered by PSR J1640-4631 and the GeV/TeV gamma-ray source HESS J1640-465. The morphology of this radio emission is centrally peaked and its extent is well-contained within the SNR shell. A lack of mid- and far-infrared counterparts and the absence of catalogued H II regions argues against a thermal origin, while the morphology and radial profile are suggestive of a PWN origin powered by PSR J1640-4631. Under this assumption, we use a one-zone, time dependant model to reproduce the size and broadband (radio, X-ray, and gamma-rays) spectral energy distribution of the PWN. The modelling and broadband properties of this PWN suggests it is currently interacting with the reverse shock within its host SNR. This evolutionary stage is associated with particles escaping the PWN and entering the ISM, suggesting this object may be an important source of Galactic PeV e+/e-