Investigating Galactic Supernova Remnant Candidates Using LOFAR

Laura N. Driessen, Vladimír Domček, Jacco Vink, Jason W.T. Hessels, Maria Arias, Joseph D. Gelfand

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We investigate six supernova remnant (SNR) candidates - G51.21+0.11, G52.37-0.70, G53.07+0.49, G53.41+0.03, G53.84-0.75, and the possible shell around G54.1+0.3 - in the Galactic plane using newly acquired Low-Frequency Array High-band Antenna observations, as well as archival Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope and Very Large Array Galactic Plane Survey mosaics. We find that G52.37-0.70, G53.84-0.75, and the possible shell around pulsar wind nebula G54.1+0.3 are unlikely to be SNRs, while G53.07+0.49 remains a candidate SNR. G51.21+0.11 has a spectral index of α = - 0.7 ± 0.21, but lacks X-ray observations and as such requires further investigation to confirm its nature. We confirm one candidate, G53.41+0.03, as a new SNR because it has a shell-like morphology, a radio spectral index of α = - 0.6 ± 0.2 and it has the X-ray spectral characteristics of a 1000-8000 year old SNR. The X-ray analysis was performed using archival XMM-Newton observations, which show that G53.41+0.03 has strong emission lines and is best characterized by a nonequilibrium ionization model, consistent with an SNR interpretation. Deep Arecibo radio telescope searches for a pulsar associated with G53.41+0.03 resulted in no detection, but placed stringent upper limits on the flux density of such a source if it was beamed toward Earth.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number133
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume860
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 20 2018

Keywords

  • H II regions
  • ISM: supernova remnants
  • X-rays: ISM
  • radio continuum: ISM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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