Thomas G. Pannuti

A Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Survey of Supernova Remnants in the Inner Galaxy

Using Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) images at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8 ?m from the GLIMPSE Legacy science program on the Spitzer Space Telescope, we searched for infrared counterparts to the 95 known supernova remnants that are located within Galactic longitudes 65? > |l| > 10? and latitudes |b| < 1?. Eighteen infrared counterparts were detected. Many other supernova remnants could have significant infrared emission but are in portions of the Milky Way too confused to allow the separation of bright H II regions and pervasive mid-infrared emission from atomic and molecular clouds along the line of sight. Infrared emission from supernova remnants originates from synchrotron emission, shock-heated dust, atomic fine-structure lines, and molecular lines. The detected remnants are G11.2-0.3, Kes?69, G22.7-0.2, 3C?391, W44, 3C?396, 3C?397, W49B, G54.4-0.3, Kes?17, Kes?20A, RCW 103, G344.7-0.1, G346.6-0.2, CTB?37A, G348.5-0.0, and G349.7+0.2. The infrared colors suggest emission from molecular lines (nine remnants), fine-structure lines (three remnants), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (four remnants), or a combination; some remnants feature multiple colors in different regions. None of the remnants are dominated by synchrotron radiation at mid-infrared wavelengths. The IRAC-detected sample emphasizes remnants interacting with relatively dense gas, for which most of the shock cooling occurs through molecular or ionic lines in the mid-infrared.

Chandra X-Ray Observations of the Spiral Galaxy M81

A Chandra X-Ray Observatory ACIS-S imaging observation is used to study the population of X-ray sources in the nearby Sab galaxy M81 (NGC 3031). A total of 177 sources are detected with 124 located within the D25 isophote to a limiting X-ray luminosity of � 3 � 10 36 ergs s � 1 . Source positions, count rates, luminosities in the 0.3–8.0 keV band, limiting optical magnitudes, and potential counterpart identifications are tabulated. Spectral and timing analysis of the 36 brightest sources are reported including the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus, SN 1993J, and the Einstein-discovered ultraluminous X-ray source X6. The nucleus accounts for � 86%, or 5 � 10 40 ergs s � 1 , of the total X-ray emission from M81. Its spectrum is well fitted by an absorbed power law with photon index 1:98 � 0:08, consistent with previous observations (average index 1.9). SN 1993J has softened and faded since its discovery. At an age of 2594 days, SN 1993J displayed a complex thermal spectrum from a reverse shock rich in Fe L and highly ionized Mg, Si, and S but lacking O. A hard X-ray component, emitted by a forward shock, is also present. X6 is spatially coincident with a stellar object with optical brightness and colors consistent with an O9–B1 main-sequence star. It is also coincident with a weak radio source with a flux density of � 95 lJy at � ¼ 3:6 cm. The continuum-dominated X-ray spectrum of X6 is most closely reproduced by a blackbody disk model suggesting the X-ray source is

An X-Ray, Optical, and Radio Search for Supernova Remnants in the Nearby Sculptor Group Sd Galaxy NGC 7793

This paper is the second in a series devoted to examining the multiwavelength properties of supernova remnants (SNRs) located in nearby galaxies. We consider here the resident SNRs in the nearby Sculptor group Sd galaxy NGC 7793. Using our own Very Large Array (VLA) radio observations at 6 and 20 cm, as well as archived ROSAT X-ray data, previously published optical results, and our own Hα image, we have searched for X-ray and radio counterparts to previously known optically identified SNRs and for new previously unidentified SNRs at these two wavelength regimes. Consistent with our prior results for NGC 300, only a tiny minority of the optically identified SNRs have been found at another wavelength. The most noteworthy source in our study is N7793-S26, which is the only SNR in this galaxy that is detected at all three wavelengths (X-ray, optical, and radio). It features a long (~450 pc) filamentary morphology that is clearly seen in both the optical and the radio images. N7793-S26s radio luminosity exceeds that of the Galactic SNR Cas A, and based on equipartition calculations we determine that an energy of at least 1052 ergs is required to maintain this source. Such a result argues for the source being created by multiple supernova explosions rather than by a single supernova event. A second optically identified SNR, N7793-S11, has detectable radio emission but no detectable X-ray emission. A radio-selected sample of candidate SNRs has also been prepared by searching for coincidences between nonthermal radio sources and regions of Hα emission in this galaxy. This search has produced five new candidate radio SNRs to be added to the 28 SNRs that have already been detected by optical methods. A complementary search for new candidate X-ray SNRs has also been conducted by searching for soft-spectrum sources (kT < 1 keV) that are coincident with regions of Hα emission. That search has yielded a candidate X-ray SNR that is coincident with one (and possibly two) of the candidate radio SNRs, but considerable diffuse X-ray emission throughout the disk of NGC 7793 reduces the efficacy of the search. Like NGC 300, very little overlap in identifications is seen between the SNRs found through X-ray, optical, and radio methods, and such a result argues for the role played by distance-dependent selection effects in determining the detectability of SNRs. In addition, we find that the density of the ambient interstellar medium (ISM) surrounding SNRs significantly impacts the spectral characteristics of the SNRs in this galaxy, consistent with surveys of the SNR populations in other galaxies.

RXTE, ROSAT, and ASCA Observations of G347.3–0.5 (RX J1713.7–3946): Probing Cosmic-Ray Acceleration by a Galactic Shell-Type Supernova Remnant

We present an analysis of the X-ray spectrum of the Galactic shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) G347.3-0.5 (RX J1713.7-3946). This SNR is a member of a growing class of dynamically young, shell-type SNRs that emit nonthermal X-rays from specific regions on their outer shells. By performing a joint spectral analysis of data from observations made of G347.3-0.5 using the ROSAT PSPC, the ASCA GIS, and the RXTE PCA, we have fitted the spectra of particular regions of this SNR (including the bright northwestern and southwestern rims, the northeast rim, and the interior diffuse emission) over the approximate energy range of 0.5-30 keV. We find that fits to the spectra of this SNR over this energy range using the SRCUT model were superior to a simple power-law model or the SRESC model. We also find that the inclusion of a thermal model with the SRCUT model helps to improve the fit to the observed X-ray spectrum: this represents the first detection of thermal X-ray emission from G347.3-0.5. Thermal emission appears to be more clearly associated with the diffuse emission in the interior of the SNR than with the bright X-ray-emitting rims. A weak emission feature seen near 6.4 keV in the RXTE PCA spectrum most likely originates from diffuse X-ray emission from the surrounding Galactic ridge rather than from G347.3-0.5 itself. We have analyzed our RXTE PCA data to search for pulsations from a recently discovered radio pulsar (PSR J1713-3949) which may be associated with G347.3-0.5, and we do not detect any X-ray pulsations at the measured radio period of 392 ms. Using the best-fit parameters obtained from the SRCUT model, we estimate the maximum energy of cosmic-ray electrons accelerated by the rims of G347.3-0.5 to be 36-48 TeV (assuming a magnetic field strength of B = 10 μG). We present a broadband (radio to γ-ray) photon energy-flux spectrum for the northwestern rim of G347.3-0.5, where we have fitted the spectrum using a more sophisticated synchrotron-inverse Compton model with a variable magnetic field strength. Our fit derived from this model yields a maximum energy of only 8.8 TeV for the accelerated cosmic-ray electrons and a much greater magnetic field strength of 150 μG; however, our derived ratio of volumes for TeV emission and X-ray emission based on this fit, VTeV/VX-ray ≈ 1000, is too large to be physically acceptable. We argue that neither nonthermal bremsstrahlung nor neutral pion particle decay can adequately explain the TeV emission from this rim, and therefore the physical process responsible for this emission at this site is currently uncertain. Finally, we compare the gross properties of G347.3-0.5 with other SNRs known to possess X-ray spectra dominated by nonthermal emission.

M33 X-7: ChASeM33 reveals the first eclipsing black hole X-ray binary

The first observations conducted as part of the Chandra ACIS survey of M33 (ChASeM33) sampled the eclipsing X-ray binary M33 X-7 over a large part of the 3.45 day orbital period and have resolved eclipse ingress and egress for the first time. The occurrence of the X-ray eclipse allows us to determine an improved ephemeris of mid-eclipse and binary period as HJD (2,453,639.119 ± 0.005) ± N(3.453014 ± 0.000020) and constrain the eclipse half-angle to 26°.5 ± 1°.1. There are indications for a shortening of the orbital period. The X-ray spectrum is best described by a disk blackbody spectrum typical for black hole X-ray binaries in the Galaxy. We find a flat power density spectrum, and no significant regular pulsations were found in the frequency range of 10^(-4) to 0.15 Hz. HST WFPC2 images resolve the optical counterpart, which can be identified as an O6 III star with the help of extinction and color corrections derived from the X-ray absorption. Based on the optical light curve, the mass of the compact object in the system most likely exceeds 9 M_☉. This mass, the shape of the X-ray spectrum, and the short-term X-ray time variability identify M33 X-7 as the first eclipsing black hole high-mass X-ray binary.

The

This paper examines relations between the radio surface brightness £ and the diameter D (also known as Σ-D relations) for a sample of extragalactic supernova remnants (SNRs) as constructed from a combination of published data and data from our own surveys. Our sample of extragalactic SNRs is the largest ever devised for the purpose of analyzing Σ-D relations. The main results of this paper may be summarized as follows: (i) the empirical relations for SNRs in 10 of the 11 nearby galaxies studied have the approximately trivial Σ D -2 form, therefore limiting their interpretation as physically meaningful relations. In addition, these relations are subject to selection effects rendering them even less useful. Further Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the effect of survey sensitivity has the opposite effect of volume selection (e.g. Malinquist bias, a volume selection effect that shapes the Galactic sample) by tending to flatten the slopes toward a trivial relation. In this case, the true slopes may be steeper than the observed slopes; (ii) compact M 82 SNRs appear to follow a uniquely different Σ-D relation in comparison to the larger, older SNRs in the other 10 galaxies. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the probability of this difference arising by chance is 1% to 10%, depending on what is assumed regarding the underlying SNR population; (iii) three candidate hypernova remnants were identified in our sample of 11 nearby galaxies.

\mathsf{\Sigma}

We present a multi-frequency study of supernova remnants (SNRs) and

– D relation for supernova remnants in nearby galaxies

\ion{H}{ii }

Multi-frequency study of extragalactic supernova remnants and H II regions : sculptor group Sd galaxy NGC 300

regions in the nearby Sculptor Group Sd galaxy NGC 300, based on new ATCA observations at the wavelengths of 13 and 20 cm, XMM-Newton observations, newly-processed ROSAT (PSPC/HRI; Read & Pietsch 2001) and VLA (20/6 cm) images of this galaxy. We have investigated the physical properties at the X-ray and radio wavelengths of the 28 optical SNRs found by Blair & Long (1997) and have expanded on the multi-wavelength work by Pannuti et al. (2000) on this same galaxy. From a total of 54 radio sources and 11 X-ray sources, we report 18 SNRs and three (3) SNR candidates (classified by spectral index alone) in NGC 300. Five of these 18 SNRs are associated with reported optical SNRs and three have X-ray counterparts. An additional 12 radio SNRs are seen in the Blair & Long (1997) [S II] images. We also investigate the luminosity function of our SNRs. Three background radio sources are confirmed and 12 other sources could represent additional background objects. Twenty two radio correlations with OB associations within NGC 300 correspond to either

A SEARCH FOR CHANDRA-DETECTED X-RAY COUNTERPARTS TO OPTICALLY IDENTIFIED AND CANDIDATE RADIO SUPERNOVA REMNANTS IN FIVE NEARBY FACE-ON SPIRAL GALAXIES

\ion{H}{ii }