EXOSAT observation of the supernova remnant MSH 15-52.

Abstract

The results of an Exosat observation of the supernova remnant MSH 15-52 and of the pulsar PSR 1509-58 are presented and discussed. In the energy range 1.6-11 keV, the radiation flux of the nebula surrounding the pulsar detected by the ME instrument has been fitted with a power law spectrum with index alpha about 1.86 (photon spectrum) and column density N(H) about 6.6 x 10 to the 21st/sq cm. In the same energy range, the pulsed radiation from PSR 1509-58 shows a much harder spectrum: alpha about 1.1, while the period of the pulsar has been measured with a value of about 0.150362 s, in agreement with extrapolation from previous observations at X and radio frequencies. These radiation and spectral features are consistent with the fluxes detected in the LE telescope (energy range 0.02-2.5 keV), and are discussed and compared with previous observations of the Einstein satellite.