Multiwavelength study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0527-7104 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Abstract
Context. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) hosts a rich and varied population of supernova remnants (SNRs). Optical, X-ray, and radio observations are required to identify these SNRs, as well as to ascertain the various processes responsible for the large array of physical characteristics observed.
Aims: In this paper we attempted to confirm the candidate SNR [HP99] 1234, identified in X-rays with ROSAT, as a true SNR by supplementing these X-ray data with optical and radio observations.
Methods: Optical data from the Magellanic Cloud Emission Line Survey (MCELS) and new radio data from the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST), in addition to the ROSAT X-ray data, were used to perform a multiwavelength morphological analysis of this candidate SNR.
Results: An approximately ellipsoidal shell of enhanced [S ii] emission, typical of an SNR ([S ii]/Hα > 0.4), was detected in the optical. This enhancement is positionally coincident with faint radio emission at λ = 36 cm. Using the available data we estimated the size of the remnant to be ~5.1' × 4.0' (~75 pc × 59 pc). However, the measurement along the major-axis was somewhat uncertain due to a lack of optical and radio emission at its extremities and the poor resolution of the X-ray data. Assuming this SNR is in the Sedov phase and adopting the ambient mass density of 1.2 × 10-25 g cm-3 measured in a nearby H ii region, an age estimate of ~25 kyr was calculated for a canonical initial explosion energy of 1051 erg. However, this age estimate should be treated cautiously due to uncertainties on the adopted parameters. Analysis of the local stellar population suggested a type Ia event as a precursor to this SNR, however, a core-collapse mechanism could not be ruled out due to the possibility of the progenitor being a runaway massive star.
Conclusions: With the detection of X-ray, radio and significant optical line emission with enhanced [S ii], this object was confirmed as an SNR to which we assign the identifier MCSNR J0527-7104.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- January 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201220431
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1211.4746
- Bibcode:
- 2013A&A...549A..99K
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: supernova remnants;
- Magellanic Clouds;
- ISM: individual objects: MCSNR J0527-7104;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Galaxy Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in A&