Search for the optical counterpart of the 16ms X-ray pulsar in the LMC

1999/12/14 by R. P. Mignani, R. Mignani, L. Pulone +8 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9912271

5 pages, LaTex, 3 Postscript figures. Astronomy&Astrophysics-in press

arxiv created 1999/12/14 · openalex publication_date 1999/12/14 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

The 16ms X-ray pulsar PSR J0537-6910 in SNR N157B is the fastest known isolated (non-recycled) pulsar and, with a rotational energy loss dE/dt ~ 4.8 10³8 erg/s, is the most energetic (together with the Crab). Here we report the results of optical observations of the field, recently performed with the SUSI2 camera of the NTT. Few objects are observed inside the ~ 3 arcsec X-ray error circle but none of them can be convincingly associated to the pulsar, which appears undetected down to V ~ 23.4. With a corresponding optical luminosity Lopt < 1.3 10³3 erg/s, PSR J0537-6910 is, at best, comparable to the other very young pulsars Crab and PSR B0540-69.

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• Studies of neutron stars at optical/IR wavelengths

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