Searches for diffuse X-ray emission around millisecond pulsars: an X-ray nebula associated with PSR J2124-3358

Abstract

We report on diffuse X-ray emission associated with the nearby solitary millisecond pulsar PSR J2124-3358 detected with XMM-Newton and Chandra. The emission extends from the pulsar to the northwest by ~ 0.5 arcmin. The spectrum of the nebular emission can be modeled with a power-law of photon index 2.2±0.4, in line with the emission originating from accelerated particles in the post shock flow. For PSR J0437-4715, PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J1024-0719, which all have spin parameters comparable to that of PSR J2124-3358, no diffuse emission is detected down to a 3-σ limiting flux of ~ 4-7×10^-15 erg s^-1 cm^-2.