RADIO PULSATION SEARCH AND IMAGING STUDY OF SGR J1935+2154

Abstract

We present the results obtained from imaging observations and a search for radio pulsations toward the magnetar SGR J1935+2154 made using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and the Ooty Radio Telescope. We present the high-resolution radio image of the supernova remnant (SNR) G57.2+0.8, which is positionally associated with SGR J1935+2154. We did not detect significant periodic radio pulsations from the magnetar, with 8 σ upper limits on its flux density of 0.4 and 0.2 mJy at 326.5 and 610 MHz, respectively, for an assumed duty cycle of 10%. The corresponding 6 σ upper limits at the two frequencies for any burst emission with an assumed width of 10 ms are 0.5 Jy and 63 mJy, respectively. No continuum radio point source was detected at the position of SGR J1935+2154 with a 3 σ upper limit of 1.2 mJy. We also did not detect significant diffuse radio emission in a radius of 70 arc s coinciding with the recently reported diffuse X-ray emission, with a 3 σ upper limit of 4.5 mJy. Using the archival HI spectra, we estimate the distance of SNR G57.2+0.8 to be 11.7 ± 2.8 kpc. Based on the measured HI column density ( N H ) along this line of sight, we argue that the magnetar could be physically associated with SNR G57.2+0.8. Based on the present data, we cannot rule out either a pulsar wind nebula or a dust-scattering halo origin for the diffuse X-ray emission seen around the magnetar.