A Dispersion Excess from Pulsar Wind Nebulae and Supernova Remnants: Implications for Pulsars and Frbs S
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A&A 634, A105 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833376 Astronomy & © ESO 2020 Astrophysics A dispersion excess from pulsar wind nebulae and supernova remnants: Implications for pulsars and FRBs S. M. Straal1,2,3,4, L. Connor1,2, and J. van Leeuwen2,1 1 Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, PO Box 94249, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] 2 ASTRON, The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, PO Box 2, 7790 AA Dwingeloo, The Netherlands 3 NYU Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE 4 Center for Astro, Particle, and Planetary Physics (CAP3), NYU Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE Received 6 May 2018 / Accepted 13 January 2020 ABSTRACT Young pulsars and the pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) or supernova remnants (SNRs) that surround them are some of the most dynamic and high-powered environments in our Universe. With the rise of more sensitive observations, the number of pulsar-SNR and PWN associations (hereafter, SNR/PWN) has increased, yet we do not understand to which extent this environment influences the pulsars’ impulsive radio signals. We studied the dispersive contribution of SNRs and PWNe on Galactic pulsars, and considered their relevance to fast radio bursts (FRBs) such as FRB 121102. We investigated the dispersion measure (DM) contribution of SNRs and PWNe by comparing the measured DMs of Galactic pulsars in a SNR/PWN to the DM expected only from the intervening interstellar electrons, using the NE2001 model. We find that a two-σ DM contribution of SNRs and PWNe to the pulsar signal exists, amounting to 21:1 ± 10:6 pc cm−3. The control sample of pulsars unassociated with a SNR/PWN shows no excess. We model the SNR and PWN electron densities for each young pulsar in our sample and show that these indeed predict an excess of this magnitude. By extrapolating to the kind of fast-spinning, high magnetic field, young pulsars that may power FRBs, we show their SNR and PWN are capable of significantly contributing to the observed DM. Key words. pulsars: general – ISM: supernova remnants 1. Introduction voids of over-and-under-densities were added: voids for “super- bubbles” for example, and clumps for over-dense regions, such When radio signals travel through a plasma, the free electrons as H II regions, supernova remnants (SNRs), and O-stars. introduce a dispersive delay, progressively slowing them down to The measurement of DM is straightforward, but pulsar dis- ever lower frequencies. This is especially noticeable in the short tances are obtained using a variety of methods. The most com- radio flashes produced as coherent, broadband radio emission in mon methods are parallax measurements; kinematic distances radio pulsars (Hewish et al. 1968) and fast radio bursts (FRBs; based on line velocity measurements from H I, but also, though Lorimer et al. 2007). less common, from CO; or by association. Verbiest et al.(2012) By separating the dispersive delays from effects with differ- recently reanalyzed the H I kinematic distances to pulsars using ent frequency dependence (multi-path scattering, profile evolu- the latest Galactic rotation parameters. After correcting for the tion), the strength of the delay can be determined. Expressed as Lutz-Kelker bias and the intrinsic pulsar luminosity distribution, a frequency independent dispersion measure (DM), this delay a Bayesian data analysis allowed Verbiest et al.(2012) to provide directly discloses the total number of free electrons that the burst tighter constraints on pulsar distances. A similar approach may encountered. Combining this electron column density with its be taken for FRBs. If a collection of redshifts is obtained and dis- distance provides insight into the electron and baryon content persion local to their host galaxy is understood, FRBs may act as along the line of sight. a probe of the intergalactic medium (IGM). With over 2000 lines of sight, pulsars are now excellent Now, for both pulsars and FRBs, the environment near the objects to aid in the determination of such phenomena as the 3D source may add to the free-electron content along the line of structure of our Galaxy. The free electrons follow the spiral arm sight. Especially for young pulsars, the additional DM from pul- structure of our Galaxy and provide information of any under- sar wind nebulae (PWNe) or SNRs may significantly pollute or over-densities. Together with independent distance measure- the DM-distance relation that is based only on the interven- ments, such as those drawn from parallax or H I line-velocity ing ISM and, possibly, the IGM. In our galaxy, the discovery measurements, an accurate model of the Galaxy can be obtained. of more SNR/PWN-pulsar associations with proper distance The most widely used model for the Galactic distribution measurements, enables observational determinations of the DM of free electrons, in the interstellar medium (ISM), was com- contribution of SNRs and PWNe. That allows us to statistically piled by Cordes & Lazio(2002, 2003) and is called NE2001. It untangle the free electron contribution near the source versus the links pulsar distances and DMs. This smooth model is made up line-of-sight contributions for newly found young pulsars. by a thick disk, a thin annular disk, spiral arms, and a Galactic This could have implications for the extragalactic FRBs. It center component. To account for further structures, clumps and could contribute to the DM excess observed there, over the Article published by EDP Sciences A105, page 1 of7 A&A 634, A105 (2020) Table 1. Pulsars associated with an SNR or PWN and with independent distance measurements. J2000 B1950 Distance DMobs DMNE2001 Association Refs. (kpc) (pc cm−3) (pc cm−3) +15:2 0205+6449 2:0 ± 0:3 140.7 56:4−12:7 PWN 3C58 1 (a) +0:2 +6:9 0358+5413 0355+54 1:0−0:1 57.1420 41:2−3:6 PWN 2 +7:3 0538+2817 1:3 ± 0:2 39.570 42:4−6:8 SNR S147 3 0659+1414 0656+14 0:28 ± 0:03 14.0672 3:9 ± 0:5 SNR Monogem Ring 3 (b) +39:4 1016−5857 3 394.2 137:0−38:8 PWN G284.3-1.8 4 +3 +148:3 1124−5916 5−2 330 257:5−104:9 SNR G292.0+1.8 & PWN 3 1357−6429 2 − 2:5 ± 0:2 128.5 99:0(13:8) − 128:7(10:0) (c) PWN 5 +2 (c) 1400−6325 6 − 8−1 563 327:2(82:8) − 426:6(58:2) SNR G310.6-1.6 & PWN 6, 7 1550−5418 3:7 − 4:3 ± 0:3 830 183:7(41:4) − 245:3(37:6) (c) SNR G327.24-0.13 8 +0:5 +33:3 1709−4429 1706−44 2:6−0:6 75.69 93:35−39:8 PWN G343.1-2.3 3 (a) +0:5 +64:9 1803−2137 1800−21 4:4−0:6 233.99 295:7−70:2 SNR G8.7-0.1 & PWN 3 +0:5 +71:2 1833−0827 1830−08 4:5−0:5 411 387:9−192:9 PWN 3 +36:0 1833−1034 4.1 ± 0:3 169.5 246:3−33:0 SNR G21.5-0.9 3 1856+0113 (a) 1853+01 2.5−2.6 ± 0:3 96.74 65:6(16:2) − 70:8(15:4) (c) SNR & PWN W44 9 (a) +39:3 1907+0631 3.4 428.6 91:5−34:2 SNR G40.5-0.5 10 +3 141:2 1930+1852 7−2 308 221:8−83:2 SNR & PWN G54.1+0.3 3 1957+2831 9:2 − 10:2 ± 1 (a) 138.99 284(29:1) − 327:3(49:0) (c) SNR G65.1+0.6 11 2229+6114 0.8 (a) 204.97 10.15 ±1:9 SNR G106.6+2.9 & PWN 12 Notes. In case of multiple associations (from the ATNF catalog or other sources) the most recent work is cited. (a)For these sources a previous distance was included in the NE2001 model, but the remnant was not accounted for. (b)Distance error assumed to be 20% (10% on H I). (c)These DMs are determined from H I distance measurements and while these errors are symmetric, when translating to DM errors, they are asymmetric. Consequently, the respective errors are given for the corresponding bounds. References. (1) Kothes(2013); (2) Chatterjee et al.(2004); (3) Verbiest et al.(2012); (4) Camilo et al.(2004); (5) Danilenko et al.(2012); (6) Renaud et al.(2010); (7) Marshall et al.(2006); (8) Gelfand & Gaensler(2007); (9) Cox et al.(1999); (10) Yang et al.(2006); (11) Tian & Leahy(2006); (12) Kothes et al.(2001). Galactic contribution (see e.g., Murase et al. 2016; Piro 2016) DM-derived, distance; obtained from parallaxes, from H I or and possibly help test models with significant DM contribu- CO line-velocity measurements, or by association. Distances tions near the source (Pen & Connor 2015; Connor et al. 2016). by Verbiest et al.(2012) were used when possible, to increase Since the discovery of FRB 121102’s repetition and its associa- the sample homogeneity. This final set of “associated pulsars” is tion with a star forming region (Tendulkar et al. 2017; Kokubo detailed in Table1. et al. 2017; Bassa et al. 2017), the case that a class of FRBs can We populated a comparison set with pulsars without arise from young neutron stars residing in their host remnant has SNR/PWN associations, whose distance was not included in the strengthened. We aim to investigate the DM contribution of the NE2001 calibration.