Shocked Gas from the supernova remnant G357.7+0.3

We present detection of hydrogen molecular hydrogen (H2) in mid-infrared using the Spitzer IRS. The supernova remnant (SNR) G357.7+0.3 is one of relatively unknown and under-studied SNRs. We performed an IRS spectral mapping centered on the northwestern shell of G357.7+0.3. The observations covered an area of 75arcsec x 60arcsec with short-low (SL) and 170arcsec x 55arcsec with long-low (LL). All rotational H2 lines within the IRS wavelength range are detected except S(6) line. Interestingly, G357.7+0.3 shows lack of ionic lines compared with those in other SNRs observed. Only ionic line detected is [Si II] at 34.8micron. The detection of H2 line is an evidence that G357.7+0.3 is interacting with dense molecular clouds. This is the first evidence showing that G357.7+0.3 is an interacting SNR with clouds. We generated a H2 excitation diagram. A two-temperature fit yields a low temperature of 197 K with a column density 2.3E21/cm2 and and a high temperature of 663 K with a column density of 2.7E19/cm2. We preformed high-J CO and OH observations with The German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies (GREAT) on board of Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), but no lines are detected. We provide the upper limits of the lines. We also present millimeter observations of the SNR. The observations were made with the Arizona-MPIfR Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope (HHT), Arizona 12 Meter Telescope, and Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) Telescope. We discuss physical conditions of shocked gas in G357.7+0.3.