Discovery of optical candidate supernova remnants in Sagittarius

During an [O III] survey for planetary nebulae, we identified a region in Sagittarius containing several candidate Supernova Remnants and obtained deep optical narrow-band images and spectra to explore their nature. The images of the unstudied area have been obtained in the light of Halpha+[N II], [S II] and [O III]. The resulting mosaic covers an area of 1.4x1.0 deg^2 where filamentary and diffuse emission was discovered, suggesting the existence of more than one supernova remnants (SNRs) in the area. Deep long slit spectra were also taken of eight different regions. Both the flux calibrated images and the spectra show that the emission from the filamentary structures originates from shock-heated gas, while the photo-ionization mechanism is responsible for the diffuse emission. Part of the optical emission is found to be correlated with the radio at 4850 MHz suggesting their association, while the WISE infrared emission found in the area at 12 and 22 micron marginally correlates with the optical. The presence of the [O III] emission line in one of the candidate SNRs suggests shock velocities into the interstellar "clouds" between 120 and 200 km/s, while the absence in the other indicates slower shock velocities. For all candidate remnants the [S II] 6716/6731 ratio indicates electron densities below 240 cm^{-3}, while the Halpha emission has been measured to be between 0.6 to 41x10^{-17} erg/s/cm^2/arcsec^2. The existence of eight pulsars within 1.5deg away from the center of the candidate SNRs also supports the scenario of many SNRs in the area as well as that the detected optical emission could be part of a number of supernovae explosions.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Radio observations of the CDF-South: a possible link between radio emission and star formation in X-ray selected AGN

We explore the nature of the radio emission of X-ray selected AGN by combining deep radio (1.4GHz; 60micro-Jy) and X-ray data with multiwavelength (optical, mid-infrared) observations in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (E-CDFS). The fraction of radio detected X-ray sources increases from 9% in the E-CDFS to 14% in the central region of this field, which has deeper X-ray coverage from the 1Ms CDFS. We find evidence that the radio emission of up to 60% of the hard X-ray/radio matched AGN is likely associated with star-formation in the host galaxy. Firstly, the mid-IR (24micron) properties of these sources are consistent with the infrared/radio correlation of starbursts. Secondly, most of them are found in galaxies with blue rest-frame optical colours (U-V), suggesting a young stellar population. On the contrary, X-ray/radio matched AGN which are not detected in the mid-infrared have red U-V colours suggesting their radio emission is associated with AGN activity. We also find no evidence for a population of heavily obscured radio-selected AGN that are not detected in X-rays. Finally, we do no confirm previous claims for a correlation between radio emission and X-ray obscuration. Assuming that the radio continuum measures star-formation, this finding is against models where the dust and gas clouds associated with circumnuclear starbursts are spherically blocking our view to the central engine.Comment: Accepted by A&

Fine structure in the gamma-ray sky and the origin of UHECR

The EGRET results for gamma ray intensities in and near the Galactic Plane have been analysed in some detail. Attention has been concentrated on energies above 1 GeV and the individual intensities in a $4^{\circ}$ longitude bin have been determined and compared with the large scale mean found from a nine-degree polynomial fit. Comparison has been made of the observed standard deviation for the ratio of these intensities with that expected from variants of our model. The basic model adopts cosmic ray origin from supernova remnants, the particles then diffusing through the Galaxy with our usual `anomalous diffusion'. The variants involve the clustering of SN, a frequency distribution for supernova explosion energies, and 'normal', rather than 'anomalous' diffusion. It is found that for supernovae of unique energy, and our usual anomalous diffusion, clustering is necessary, particularly in the Inner Galaxy. An alternative, and preferred, situation is to adopt the model with a frequency distribution of supernova energies. The results for the Outer Galaxy are such that no clustering is required. If their explosion energies are distributed then supernovae can be the origin of UHECR.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures and 1 table, to appear in the proceedings of the CRIS2006 symposium, Catania, Italy, May-June 200

Optical photometry and spectral classification in the field of the open cluster NGC 6996 in the North America Nebula

We present and discuss broad band CCD $UBV(I)_C$ photometry and low resolution spectroscopy for stars in the region of the open cluster NGC 6996, located in the North America Nebula. The new data allow us to tightly constrain the basic properties of this object. We revise the cluster size, which in the past has been significantly underestimated. The width of the Main Sequence is mainly interpreted in terms of differential reddening, and indeed the stars' color excess $E_{B-V}$ ranges from 0.43 to 0.65, implying the presence of a significant and evenly distributed dust component. We cross-correlate our optical photometry with near infrared from 2MASS, and by means of spectral classification we are able to build up extinction curves for an handful of bright members. We find that the reddening slope and the total to selective absorption ratio $R_V$ toward NGC 6996 are anomalous. Moreover the reddening corrected colors and magnitudes allow us to derive estimates for the cluster distance and age, which turn out to be $760 \pm 70 pc$ ($V_{0}-M_{V} = 9.4 \pm 0.2$) and $\sim 350$ Myr, respectively. Basing on our results, we suggest that NGC 6996 is located in front of the North America Nebula, and does not seem to have any apparent relationship with it.Comment: 19 pages, 12 eps figures, in press in A&

Deep Halpha imagery of the Eridanus shells

A deep \ha image of interlocking filamentary arcs of nebulosity has been obtained with a wide-field ($\approx$ 30\degree diameter) narrow-band filter camera combined with a CCD as a detector. The resultant mosaic of images, extending to a galactic latitude of 65$^{o}$, has been corrected for field distortions and had galactic coordinates superimposed on it to permit accurate correlations with the most recent H{\sc i} (21 cm), X-ray (0.75 kev) and FIR (IRAS 100 $\mu$m) maps. Furthermore, an upper limit of 0.13 arcsec/yr to the expansion proper motion of the primary 25\degree long nebulous arc has been obtained by comparing a recent \ha image obtained with the San Pedro Martir telescope of its filamentary edge with that on a POSS E plate obtained in 1951. It is concluded that these filamentary arcs are the superimposed images of separate shells (driven by supernova explosions and/or stellar winds) rather than the edges of a single `superbubble' stretching from Barnard's Arc (and the Orion Nebula) to these high galactic latitudes. The proper motion measurement argues against the primary \ha emitting arc being associated with the giant radio loop (Loop 2) except in extraordinary circumstances.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for MNRAS publicatio

The Supergiant Shell LMC2: II. Physical Properties of the 10^6 K Gas

LMC2 has the highest X-ray surface brightness of all know supergiant shells in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The X-ray emission peaks within the ionized filaments that define the shell boundary, but also extends beyond the southern border of LMC2 as an X-ray bright spur. ROSAT HRI images reveal the X-ray emission from LMC2 and the spur to be truly diffuse, indicating a hot plasma origin. We have obtained ROSAT PSPC and ASCA SIS spectra to study the physical conditions of the hot gas interior to LMC2 and the spur. Raymond-Smith thermal plasma model fits to the X-ray spectra, constrained by HI 21-cm emission-line measurements of the column density, show the plasma temperature of the hot gas interior of LMC2 to be kT = 0.1 - 0.7 keV and of the spur to be kT = 0.1 - 0.5 keV. We have compared the physical conditions of the hot gas interior to LMC2 with those of other supergiant shells, superbubbles, and supernova remnants (SNRs) in the LMC. We find that our derived electron densities for the hot gas inside LMC2 is higher than the value determined for the supergiant shell LMC4, comparable to the value determined for the superbubble N11, and lower than the values determined for the superbubble N44 and a number of SNRs.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Ap

Fine structure in the gamma-ray sky

The EGRET results for gamma-ray intensities in and near the Galactic Plane have been analysed in some detail. Attention has been concentrated on energies above 1 GeV and the individual intensities in a $4^\circ$ longitude bin have been determined and compared with the large scale mean found from a nine-degree polynomial fit. Comparison has been made of the observed standard deviation for the ratio of these intensities with that expected from variants of our model. The basic model adopts cosmic ray origin from supernova remnants, the particles then diffusing through the Galaxy with our usual 'anomalous diffusion'. The variants involve the clustering of SN, a frequency distribution for supernova explosion energies, and 'normal', rather than 'anomalous' diffusion. It is found that for supernovae of unique energy, and our usual anomalous diffusion, clustering is necessary, particularly in the Inner Galaxy. An alternative, and preferred, situation is to adopt the model with a frequency distribution of supernova energies. The results for the Outer Galaxy are such that no clustering is required.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in J.Phys.G: Nucl.Part.Phy

The kinematics of the bi-lobal supernova remnant G 65.3+5.7 - Paper II

Further deep, narrow-band images in the light of [O III] 5007 A have been added to the previous mosaic of the faint galactic supernova remnant G 65.3+5.7. Additionally longslit spatially resolved [O III] 5007 A line profiles have been obtained at sample positions using the Manchester Echelle Spectrometer at the San Pedro Martir observatory. The remnant is shown to be predominantly bi-lobal with an EW axis for this structure. However, a faint additional northern lobe has now been revealed. Splitting of the profiles along the slit lengths, when extrapolated to the remnant's centre, although uncertain suggests that the expansion velocity of this remnant is between 124 and 187 km/s ie much lower than the 400 km/s previously predicted for the forward shock velocity from the X-ray emission. An expansion proper motion measurement of 2.1+-0.4 arcsec in 48 years for the remnant's filamentary edge in the light of Halpha+[N II] has also been made. When combined with an expansion velocity of ~155 km/s, a distance of ~800 pc to G 65.3+5.7 is derived. Several possibilities are considered for the large difference in the expansion velocity measured here and the 400 km/s shock velocity required to generate the X-ray emission. It is also suggested that the morphology of the remnant may be created by a tilt in the galactic magnetic field in this vicinity.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&