Discovery of an X-ray nebula in the field of millisecond pulsar PSR J1911-1114

Abstract

We have discovered an extended X-ray feature, apparently associated with millisecond pulsar (MSP) PSR J1911-1114. The feature, which extends for ∼1', was discovered from an XMM-Newton observation; the radio timing position of PSR J1911-1114 is in the midpoint of the feature. The orientation of the feature is similar to the proper motion direction of PSR J1911-1114. Its X-ray spectrum can be well-modeled by an absorbed power law with a photon index of Γ = 1.8-^+0.3_0.2. If this feature is confirmed to be a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), this will be the third case where an X-ray PWN has been found to be powered by a MSP.