Discovery of extended emission around the pulsar B0355+54

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/510995

PSR B0355+54 is one of the handful of pulsars that have been observed with both Chandra and XMM-Newton. The analysis of the archival data has revealed the pulsar and a similar to 30" compact nebula surrounding it. XMM-Newton also has detected a trail that extends similar to 6' and, similar to the compact nebula, is also counteraligned with the proper motion of the pulsar. The spectra of both the pulsar and the extended emission are well described by an absorbed power-law model. The measured flux corresponds to an efficiency of converting the spin-down luminosity into X-rays in the 2-10 keV band of similar to 0.01% and similar to 1% for the pulsar and the extended emission, respectively. From the XMM-Newton data we have detected pulsations at the expected radio period. The energetics and the extent of the extended emission can be explained by a bow shock formed by the motion of the pulsar through the interstellar medium.