A search for candidate radio supernova remnants in the nearby irregular starburst galaxies NGC 4214 and NGC 4395

We present the results of a search for new candidate radio su­pernova remnants (SNRs) in the nearby starburst irregular galaxies NGC 4214 and NGC 4395 using archived radio observations made with the Very Large Array (VLA) at the wavelengths of 3.5 cm, 6 cm and 20 cm for NGC 4214 and 6 cm and 20 cm for NGC 4395. These observations were analyzed as part of our ongoing search for candidate radio SNRs in nearby galaxies: the goal of this search is to prepare a large sample of candidate radio SNRs for the purpose of a robust statistical study of the properties of these sources. Based on our analysis, we have confirmed the nonthermal nature of the discrete radio sources α and β in NGC 4214 and classify these sources as candidate radio SNRs based on their positional coincidences with HII regions in that galaxy. We have measured the flux densities of the two candidate radio SNRs at each wavelength and calculated corresponding spectral indices: we have also measured flux densities of two other discrete radio sources in these galaxies - ρ in NGC 4214 and #3 in NGC 4395 which we suspect to be additional candidate radio SNRs based on their positional coincidences with other HII regions in these galaxies. However, the radio data presently available for these sources can­not confirm such a classification and additional observations are needed. We have also calculated the radio luminosities Lradio at the wavelength of 20 cm for these two candidate radio SNRs as well as the corresponding values for the minimum total energy Emin required to power these radio sources via synchrotron emission and the corresponding magnetic field strength Bmin. We have compared our mean calculated values for these properties with the mean values for populations of candidate radio SNRs in other starburst galaxies: while the values for Lradio and Bmin are roughly comparable to the values seen in other starburst galaxies, the mean value for Emin is higher than the mean value of any other starburst galaxy. Finally, we include these two candidate radio SNRs in a discussion of the Σ − D relation for extragalactic candidate radio SNRs and find that these sources are located on the shallower end of the master Σ − D relation for all extragalactic SNRs as derived by Urošević et al.(2005).published_or_final_versio

Empirical sigma - d relations and main galactic radio loops

This paper represents a review of the empirical Galactic and extragalactic sigma - D relations (relations between the surface brightness sigma and the diameter D) for supernova remnants (SNRs), with checking the connection of the main Galactic radio loops (Loop I, II, III and IV) with these relations. We present results which suggest, in another way, that the radio loops may have an SNR origin. The updated relations have been measured to have slopes beta = 2 in log-log space. The best sigma - D relations for M31 and M33 galaxies were derived and these relations are shown to be flatter (beta < 2) than those for Galactic SNRs alone. This result confirms that selection effects play an important role in data-sets made up of Galactic SNRs. A sigma - D relation with 157 reliable calibrators (both Galactic and extragalactic) is derived. This relation also has a slope beta = 2.07 ± 13

A modified theoretical Σ − D relation for supernova remnants: II. The case of variable temperature within the supernova remnant

In this preliminary report a modification of the theoretical Σ − D relation for supernova remnants (SNRs) in the adiabatic expansion phase is presented in another way. As in Paper I, this modification is based on the convolution procedure. The relation first derived by Shklovsky is convoluted with the Σ − D relation derived in this report for thermal bremsstrahlung radiation. Also, we adopt McKee & Ostriker’s model for the interaction between SNRs and the interstellar medium. Kesteven’s modified theoretical relation gives the best agreement with the updated "master" empirical Σ − D relation derived by Urošević

A modified theoretical Σ − D relation for supernova remnants: I. The case of constant temperature within the supernova remnant

We present a modification of the theoretical Σ − D relation for supernova remnants (SNRs) in the adiabatic expansion phase. This modification is based on the convolution of the relation first derived by Shklovsky with the Σ − D relation derived in this paper for thermal bremsstrahlung radiation from the ionized gas cloud. We adopt McKee & Ostriker’s model for the components of the interstellar medium as part of our derivation. The modified Shklovsky theory agrees well with empirical results. Kesteven’s modified theoretical relation gives the best agreement with the updated Galactic empirical Σ − D relation

A search for candidate radio supernova remnants in the nearby irregular starburst galaxies NGC 4214 and NGC 4395

We present the results of a search for new candidate radio su­pernova remnants (SNRs) in the nearby starburst irregular galaxies NGC 4214 and NGC 4395 using archived radio observations made with the Very Large Array (VLA) at the wavelengths of 3.5 cm, 6 cm and 20 cm for NGC 4214 and 6 cm and 20 cm for NGC 4395. These observations were analyzed as part of our ongoing search for candidate radio SNRs in nearby galaxies: the goal of this search is to prepare a large sample of candidate radio SNRs for the purpose of a robust statistical study of the properties of these sources. Based on our analysis, we have confirmed the nonthermal nature of the discrete radio sources α and β in NGC 4214 and classify these sources as candidate radio SNRs based on their positional coincidences with HII regions in that galaxy. We have measured the flux densities of the two candidate radio SNRs at each wavelength and calculated corresponding spectral indices: we have also measured flux densities of two other discrete radio sources in these galaxies - ρ in NGC 4214 and #3 in NGC 4395 which we suspect to be additional candidate radio SNRs based on their positional coincidences with other HII regions in these galaxies. However, the radio data presently available for these sources can­not confirm such a classification and additional observations are needed. We have also calculated the radio luminosities Lradio at the wavelength of 20 cm for these two candidate radio SNRs as well as the corresponding values for the minimum total energy Emin required to power these radio sources via synchrotron emission and the corresponding magnetic field strength Bmin. We have compared our mean calculated values for these properties with the mean values for populations of candidate radio SNRs in other starburst galaxies: while the values for Lradio and Bmin are roughly comparable to the values seen in other starburst galaxies, the mean value for Emin is higher than the mean value of any other starburst galaxy. Finally, we include these two candidate radio SNRs in a discussion of the Σ − D relation for extragalactic candidate radio SNRs and find that these sources are located on the shallower end of the master Σ − D relation for all extragalactic SNRs as derived by Urošević et al.(2005).