ROSAT HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGER OBSERVATIONS OF PSR-0656+14

We have used the High Resolution Imager (HRI) on ROSAT to image PSR 06 56 + 14 at soft X-ray energies (0.15-2 keV). With a net observing time of 10,326 s, we obtained a source event rate of 0.382 +/- 0.007 count s s-1. Comparing the radial distribution of these counts between 15'' and 100'' to an empirically derived point spread function for HRI soft sources. we find no evidence of a spatially extended X-ray nebula to a limiting surface brightness of 1.67 x 10(-6) counts s-1 arcsec-2, co rresponding to a limit of 14% of the observed flux out to a radius of 100''. The X-ray emission of the pulsar is pulsed at the 0.385 s perio d of the radio pulsar, with a pulse fraction of 7% +/- 2.2%, and a FWH M of 0.10 s. We discuss some models of the X-ray radiation of PSR 0656 + 14 compatible with both the HRI and PSPC results.