SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL 72055

PROF. VICTORIA M. KASPI
VICKY@SPACE.MIT.EDU

MIT
70 VASSAR STREET, 37-621
CAMBRIDGE
MA USA 02139
Tel: 617-253-5169 Fax: 617-253-0861
Medium: CD ROM
Subject: SUPERNOVA REMNANTS AND GALACTIC DIFFUSE EMISSION

THE 1500 YEAR OLD RADIO PULSAR PSR J1118-61


ABSTRACT

We request 50 ks of ASCA time to make X-ray observations of the field containing the newly discovered radio pulsar PSR J1118-61. This pulsar, found as part of the ongoing Parkes Multibeam Galactic plane search for radio pulsars, is remarkable as it has characteristic age only 1500 yr, a fourth addition to the three pulsars having characteristic ages under 2000 yr (Crab, PSRs B1509-58 and B0540-69). ASCA observations, in concert with the Australia Telescope Compact Array radio imaging observations we have been awarded, will search for a parent supernova remnant shell, plerionic emission, pulsed magnetospheric emission, and possibly thermal emission from this young, cooling neutron star.

CO-INVESTIGATORS
CO-I NAME INSTITUTE COUNTRY
MICHAEL PIVOVAROFFMITUSA
FERNANDO CAMILOJODRELL BANKUK
ANDREW LYNEJODRELL BANKUK
RICHARD MANCHESTERATNFAUSTRALIA

TARGETS

TARGET NAMEPRIRADECTIMETCOFFGISSIS CNTOBS
1)PSR J1118-61
B
169.7292-61.3275
50 ks
N
Y
P
0.01000
1

TARGET 1

WE WILL REFINE THE POSITION OF THE SOURCE CLOSER TO THE SCHEDULED OBSERVATIONS, FOLLOWING RADIO TIMING OBSERVATIONS.