A Bow Shock Nebula around a Compact X-Ray Source in the Supernova Remnant IC 443

We present spectra and high resolution images of the hard X-ray feature alongthe southern edge of the supernova remnant IC443. Data from the Chandra X-rayObservatory reveal a comet-shaped nebula of hard emission, which contains asofter point source at its apex. We also present 20cm, 6cm, and 3.5cm imagesfrom the Very Large Array that clearly show the cometary nebula. Based on theradio and X-ray morphology and spectrum, and the radio polarization properties,we argue that this object is a synchrotron nebula powered by the compact sourcethat is physically associated with IC443. The spectrum of the soft point sourceis adequately but not uniquely fit by a black body model (kT=0.71 +/- 0.08 keV,L=(6.5 +/- 0.9) * 10^31 erg/s). The cometary morphology of the nebula is theresult of the supersonic motion of the neutron star (V_NS=250 +/- 50 km/s),which causes the relativistic wind of the pulsar to terminate in a bow shockand trail behind as a synchrotron tail. This velocity is consistent with an ageof 30,000 years for the SNR and its associated neutron star.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Letter