PSR J1907+0602 A Radio-Faint Gamma-Ray Pulsar Powering a Bright TeV Pulsar Wind Nebula
Author(s)
Date Issued
2010-03-01
Mission(s)
Abstract
We present multiwavelength studies of the 106.6 ms gamma-ray pulsar PSR J1907+06 near the TeV source MGRO J1908+06. Timing observations with Fermi result in a precise position determination for the pulsar of R.A. = 19<SUP>h</SUP>07<SUP>m</SUP>54.<SUP>s</SUP>7(2), decl. = +0602'16(2)'' placing the pulsar firmly within the TeV source extent, suggesting the TeV source is the pulsar wind nebula of PSR J1907+0602. Pulsed gamma-ray emission is clearly visible at energies from 100 MeV to above 10 GeV. The phase-averaged power-law index in the energy range E > 0.1 GeV is Gamma = 1.76 0.05 with an exponential cutoff energy E<SUB>c</SUB> = 3.6 0.5 GeV. We present the energy-dependent gamma-ray pulsed light curve as well as limits on off-pulse emission associated with the TeV source. We also report the detection of very faint (flux density of ~= 3.4 muJy) radio pulsations with the Arecibo telescope at 1.5 GHz having a dispersion measure DM = 82.1 1.1 cm<SUP>-3</SUP> pc. This indicates a distance of 3.2 0.6 kpc and a pseudo-luminosity of L <SUB>1400</SUB> ~= 0.035 mJy kpc<SUP>2</SUP>. A Chandra ACIS observation revealed an absorbed, possibly extended, compact (lsim4'') X-ray source with significant nonthermal emission at R.A. = 19<SUP>h</SUP>07<SUP>m</SUP>54.<SUP>s</SUP>76, decl. = +0602'14farcs6 with a flux of 2.3<SUP>+0.6</SUP> <SUB>-1.4</SUB> 10<SUP>-14</SUP> erg cm<SUP>-2</SUP> s<SUP>-1</SUP>. From archival ASCA observations, we place upper limits on any arcminute scale 2-10 keV X-ray emission of ~1 10<SUP>-13</SUP> erg cm<SUP>-2</SUP> s<SUP>-1</SUP>. The implied distance to the pulsar is compatible with that of the supernova remnant G40.5 - 0.5, located on the far side of the TeV nebula from PSR J1907+0602, and the S74 molecular cloud on the nearer side which we discuss as potential birth sites.