Is IGRJ11014-6103 a pulsar with the highest known kick velocity?

Abstract

We report on Chandra X-ray and Parkes radio observations of IGRJ11014-6103, which is a possible pulsar wind nebula with a complex X-ray morphology and a likely radio counterpart. With the superb angular resolution of Chandra, we find evidence that a portion of the extended emission may be related to a bow shock due to the putative pulsar moving through the interstellar medium. The inferred direction of motion is consistent with IGRJ11014-6103 having been born in the event that produced the supernova remnant (SNR) MSH11-61A. If this association is correct, then previous constraints on the expansion of MSH11-61A imply a transverse velocity for IGRJ11014-6103 of 2400-2900kms-1, depending on the SNR model used. This would surpass the kick velocities of any known pulsars and rival or surpass the velocities of any compact objects that are associated with SNRs. While it is important to confirm the nature of the source, our radio pulsation search did not yield a detection. © 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.